


SUPER DISNEY BROS

by JC_Hope



Category: Disney - All Media Types, Kingdom Hearts, Super Smash Brothers
Genre: Action, Adventure, Alternate Universe - Big Hero 6 Fusion, Alternate Universe - Nightmare Before Christmas Fusion, Community: kingdomhearts, Crossover, Disney, Fantasy, Gen, Lilo and Stitch - Freeform, Monsters Inc., Mulan (1998) References, supersmashbros
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-25
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-01-22 19:17:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 26,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12488948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JC_Hope/pseuds/JC_Hope
Summary: When the Disney Kingdom is threatened by massive forces of evil, our heroes will have to band together and protect their worlds from falling into darkness.Featuring the fantasy elements of Kingdom Hearts and the story-line from Super Smash Bros. Brawl's "Subspace Emissary", enjoy a new take on an epic crossover with your favorite Disney characters from the classic films to the newest legends!





	1. The Shadows

Chapter 1: The Shadows  
Far above the lush landscapes of the Disney Kingdom, a magnificent steel stadium floated in the sky. Thousands of passionate fans applauded. They had been waiting for so long to watch the top two contenders step onto the central battle arena.  
From the luxury VIP box, Queen Minnie giggled in delight. She knew she had the best spot in the stadium with a clear view of the arena below. In her frilly rose gown, she turned to her dear friend, Princess Jasmine of Agrabah, wearing a lavender robe over her turquoise outfit. She had traveled across the vast desert from her palace to attend the competition. Carpet, a magical living item from the Cave of Wonders, whirled up and around, too eager to sit still. Jasmine had borrowed him from her sweetheart back home. She and Queen Minnie were ready to watch the friendly but fierce fight through the thick glass wall.  
King Mickey flipped over from the ground entrance and landed on the elevated arena. He wielded the Keyblade, a shining golden weapon that resembled a large key. He raised the Keyblade by its silver hilt, cuing his diehard fans to chant his name to the famous melody of "Mickey Mouse March".  
On the other side of the arena, Donald Duck waddled while waving his magician's staff. He was ready to win over the cheering crowds with his presence alone. Instead, he only received less than average applause, the kind one would expect just to be polite. Donald grumbled angrily and pointed his staff over to Mickey, both friend and rival. Mickey gave his usual jolly smile and offered to shake hands. Donald returned the gesture before stepping back onto his side of the arena. The bright digital timer under the giant monitor had been set. Both Mickey and Donald charged into each other. The fight commenced!  
* * *  
Meanwhile, beyond the Eastern mountains, one particularly tiny dragon unfolded his bamboo chair, dug into his firecracker-flavored popcorn box, and gazed into an ancient magical mirror. Its smooth surface revealed live footage of the fight between Mickey and Donald from the floating stadium.  
"Yo Mu-LAAAAAAN! It's just started! Get your China-saving butt over here!" shouted Mushu from the ancestral temple. As a proud family guardian, it was his sacred duty to protect Mulan in the battlefield and offer spiritual wisdom. Recently however, she had enjoyed a period of peace with her family. She hurried through the lawn, past the cherry blossom tree.  
"Sorry Mushu. I lost track of time and-" Before Mulan could finish speaking, Mushu raised his stern hand and tapped the stone floor with his scaly feet.  
"Shu-shu-shu! I don't wanna waste anymore time with your tardiness or your excuses. Come on!" huffed Mushu. He rolled his eyes before packing his mouth with more popcorn. Mulan crossed her legs beside her lovable guardian. She did not understand how Mushu got the mirror to work. It was an old family relic used for spiritual reflection, not so much for displaying sporting events from miles away. Mulan was tempted to ask Mushu but he turned hyperactive at an instant.  
“OOOOH YEAH MAN! This is I what I call the ultimate butt-kicking! I really hope that duck-dude gets at least one shot at Mickey. I mean we all know who we're putting our money on, am I right Mulan?"  
“You might want to keep it down. My ancestors are technically trying to rest,” suggested Mulan.  
“And IIII'm technically trying to watch. Rude!” Mushu's cheeks were stuffed like a greedy squirrel. His cheering was muffled. Mulan looked back to the fight on the mirror. She carefully studied Mickey's form as he swung his Keyblade against Donald.  
* * *  
“FIRAGA!” shouted Donald. From the top of his staff, he crafted a giant burning fireball and launched it at his more popular opponent. Mickey evaded the attack just in time. The point of impact was scorched with soot and flames. Donald whipped his staff around, firing a barrage of smaller fireballs. They flew after Mickey like heat-seeking missiles. Wherever he hopped, they followed. Donald cackled with a devilish grin. There was not much space for Mickey to retreat away from Donald's spell. Mickey swung his Keyblade in a half-moon guard, hitting all of the fireballs at once. The smoky recoil blasted him to the edge of the arena. A shocking, collective gasp took over the stadium. Queen Minnie held her gloved hands to her lips. Princess Jasmine, along with many of the spectators, was at the edge of her seat.  
Mickey wobbled but plunged his Keyblade into the floor of the arena to steady himself. He lunged ahead while Donald summoned a vertical bolt of lightning to stop him. Mickey performed a midair twist and dodged the electrifying attack. He rolled into a fighter's stance, aiming his Keyblade at Donald. He was ready to shoot a piercing blast of magic but froze. Something glimmered and grew from out of the clouds. Something big.  
Before Donald could hit Mickey who had dropped his guard, he caught the bewildered look on Mickey's face.  
"What are you-" Donald turned around and squawked. A flying pirate ship loomed over the stadium and cast wicked shadows over the audience.  
“DONALD, watch out!” warned Mickey at the sight of an iron cannon, locking into position. He tackled Donald away from its aim.  
PWWSH! A heavy cannonball was shot right into the arena. Panic ignited within the audience. Mickey and Donald waited for the smoke to wither away. They both gazed upon the deep crater that could have been filled with broken bones and charred feathers.  
Donald could only hold his fears with a single gulp. Mickey looked back up where the flying ship sank into the stadium. Judging by its scarlet red exterior, Mickey knew right away which captain commanded the pirate ship.  
"Hook," said Mickey. A sharp whistle pierced the entire sky, losing its azure blue color for a sickly dark red.  
Queen Minnie shuddered at what appeared to be a cursed twilight sky. Jasmine glanced at her magic carpet, cowering behind her legs. She tried to stay calm, even as the flying pirate ship began to overflow with a mud-like darkness. Once it fell into the seats, the fans tried to flee. While Minnie and Jasmine were safe in their private box, Mickey observed the spilling darkness, bubbling into small shadowy imps. They twitched their crooked limbs and blinked their beady yellow eyes. One creature spotted Donald and pounced at him.  
"GYAAAAAH!" quacked Donald madly. He cast a burst of fire to ward off the first creature. He waved his staff against the others.  
"The Heartless are here." Mickey identified the creatures, those who had yielded to the darkness within their own hearts. The puny species that traveled in large numbers were known as Shadows.  
"Well no one invited them!" shouted Donald. He fired blast after blast of fiery magic, eliminating the Heartless as they tried to attack him.  
"Let's take care of these fellas first. And then we gotta help everybody else," said Mickey with a noble nod.  
"Whatever you say, Your Majesty." Donald nudged his head towards the left side of the Heartless while Mickey leaped to the right side.  
* * *  
“Oh dear. This is horrible!" wailed Minnie.  
"We have to get the people to safety," said Jasmine. "I'll go with Carpet and make sure everyone is escorted to the shuttles."  
"That's awfully brave of you. In that case, I'll see to it that the no one gets left behind."  
"Alright. Then we can meet back at the stadium to help Mickey and Donald. They should be fine. I believe in them." Jasmine sped out of the luxury box. As a devoted friend and ally, Carpet flew after her, more than willing to put its sentient life on the line. Jasmine rode Carpet and soared off to the lower levels of the stadium. She helped to guide the terrified guests to the right hallways where they could evacuate aboard shuttle ships to fly back down to the ground.  
Queen Minnie went up the stairs and checked the stadium seats. A few people remained, scattered across the empty seats. They scrambled to find a hallway that was less packed. Her eyes could not leave Mickey and Donald who were busy with their own tight battle.  
A cry for help. Two kids tried to climb up the aisles away from a gang of Shadows. Queen Minnie stuck out her hand with a magical ring given to her by King Mickey for her protection. She used its power to shoot a blast of light that gleamed like a shiny pearl. It spiraled off to demolish the Shadows. She asked the kids if they were okay and helped them to find the closest exit. Once they were safe, nearby Shadows gathered and preyed on Queen Minnie. She tried to escape them by heading down the stairs to the front row seats. Somehow, the other gangs of Shadows were attracted to her. As it was her duty to protect people, Queen Minnie put on a brave face and lured the Heartless towards her. She turned back and forth, fighting back with as much force as she could with her magic ring. She tried to play defensive but one bold Shadow leaped over the crowd of its kind.  
Before it could make contact with Queen Minnie, Jasmine and Carpet whooshed by as a purple blur. The creature was snatched and released, falling high enough to disappear on impact. Queen Minnie was grateful. She waved at Jasmine who returned and scooted to Carpet's edge to make room.  
"They just keep coming!" Donald was becoming more irritated with the surrounding horde of Heartless. He stomped his webbed feet and panted.  
"Just keep it up, Donald. We're almost done," said King Mickey. While the flying pirate ship made its descent even closer to the arena, Queen Minnie and Jasmine finally arrived to help.  
"Your Majesty! And Your Highness!" said Donald, in respect to Minnie and Jasmine. "This isn't safe for you two!"  
"This isn't safe for anyone," argued Jasmine. She whistled to Carpet who dove under and tripped three Heartless. Jasmine stepped forward and kicked them off the arena. Minnie followed up by casting her pearl attacks behind Mickey. For now, the Shadows kept their distance.  
"Thanks for the help. I hope you two didn't get hurt.” said Mickey, nervously scratching his ears.  
"We're fine. Everybody else should be safe now," said Jasmine.  
"Oh Mickey. This is all horrible. What are we going to do?" asked Minnie.  
“We’ll think of something, I promise," said Mickey, determined. "Donald, let’s-"  
“Your Majesty! LOOK!” yelled Donald. He pointed behind Mickey. Both Minnie and Jasmine gasped. Mickey turned with wide eyes, brimming with fear.  
The remaining Heartless gathered over at one section of the stadium. This time, they combined into a colossal tower, swaying like a shadowy twister. It bent over and leaped to the arena. King Mickey, Donald, Queen Minnie, Jasmine, and Carpet huddled to the opposite side. The tower of Heartless sprouted two long legs. Next, came the muscular black arms and claws. The Shadows used their dark powers to form a new creature, classified by King Mickey's royal reports as a Darkside. Its hollow chest bared the shape of a heart. Thick tendrils, like black vines, covered its head where only its cold yellow eyes could be seen.


	2. The Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the Disney Kingdom is threatened by massive forces of evil, our heroes will have to band together and protect their worlds from falling into darkness.  
> Featuring the fantasy elements of Kingdom Hearts and the story-line from Super Smash Bros. Brawl's "Subspace Emissary", enjoy a new take on an epic crossover with your favorite Disney characters from the classic films to the newest legends!

The Darkside cast the first attack. A pitch black fist crashed into the arena.  
King Mickey and Donald Duck were knocked away from Queen Minnie and Jasmine. Carpet flew high and swooped over the Darkside's glowing eyes.  
"It's distracted! Now's our chance!" squawked Donald "B-ZAAAAAAH!" His staff shot a zig-zagging bolt of lightning into the monster's chest. Mickey launched two blasts of light at its shoulders. Queen Minnie and Jasmine hurried to action and rammed into each leg. The giant wobbled. Its pointed foot stomped backwards. Mickey hoped their attacks were just enough to push it into the deep space between the arena and the stadium. The menacing monster fell to one knee. They all gazed at its grotesque head and its glowing eyes.  
The Darkside jerked its head over to Queen Minnie and Jasmine. Despite its mighty size, its brawny arms swiftly swung across and snatched the two ladies.  
“Oh Mickey, help!” wailed Queen Minnie. Jasmine grunted and tried to wrestle her arms free.  
“I’m-a comin’!” King Mickey aimed his Keyblade right into the Darkside's face.  
“Not this time, you little pipsqueak!" shouted a low voice through a fat neck. A heavyset figure bounced out of the floating pirate ship. His flabby body shook the ground beneath him.  
“PETE!” King Mickey called out to his oldest enemy. Pete was the Disney Kingdom's most infamous scoundrel. He had a nasty habit of getting himself involved with the wrong crowd or starting his own trouble. Be it cheating, stealing, or employing the forces of darkness, Pete never seemed to heed to decency.  
"What do you think you're doing?" shouted Donald Duck.   
"I'm getting this party started, that's what. I've brought my own guests to fill up the seats!" cackled Pete. Little blobs of darkness crept to the edges of the hovering pirate ship.   
"We came fashionably late, of course. You like our ride? Courtesy of Captain Hook!" bragged Pete.  
"No one wanted you!" Donald shook his head angrily.  
"What are you doing here with the Heartless? Tell them to let Queen Minnie and Princess Jasmine go!" commanded King Mickey.  
"Hmmm," Pete scratched his oversized jaw. "I don't think so. We're taking them to a VIP cruise ship, you see. He-he-he. But don't worry, we got something extra special for you." He pinched his fingers into his mouth and whistled. Two dark creatures, known as Air Pirates for their wide goggles and mechanical wings, dove down from the ship and captured King Mickey. They swung back upwards in a nautious, corkscrew direction.   
“I don’t think so!" cried Donald "GRAVI-"  
THUMP! The Darkside’s free hand slapped the ground over Donald.  
"Oh no!" shrieked Jasmine. The Carpet was still trying to pull out one of the Darkside's curled fingers.   
“HAHA! That's what happens when you mess with the big boys." Pete bore a wicked grin when he watched Mickey being shoved into the loading port of a large black cannon.  
"This is my overdue gift, your Majesty. An all-expenses-paid, one-way trip to...far far AWAY!" One of the Air Pirates scratched its fingers and lit up the cannon's short wick.  
KA-BOOM! Mickey was shot away in a trail of cannon smoke, miles away past the horizon.   
"MICKEY!" screeched Queen Minnie. Jasmine jerked her ears away. She finally managed to loosen her arms. With Carpet's help, she pushed back one of the Darkside's fingers. She had enough room to slip out and land safely on Carpet.  
"Donald! You have to get up!" Jasmine and Carpet dodged the incoming pack of Air Pirates.   
"That's right! Go and get her back!" fussed Pete. The Darkside tried to swat the Carpet like a buzzing pest. In doing so, its hand moved away from Donald. He forced his legs up and blasted Pete with a Blizzard spell. It came as a shooting, blue star that struck Pete and encased him in ice. He left a bewildered look in his still eyes.  
"Let's get this big palooka out of here!" Donald charged his staff with crackling red light.  
"B-ZAAAAAAAAH!" Donald fired a calvary of multiple fire attacks against the Darkside. It tumbled on its kness and released Minnie from its clutches.   
KRRR-AK!  
Pete huffed as he broke out of Donald's icy prison.   
"Fine! I'll just settle with one and make this an easy job!" Pete pulled out a pistol, shaped like the muzzle of a fierce hound. He pointed his gizmo-looking weapon at Queen Minnie.   
BZZZT! Pete had pressed the trigger and fired a rapid laser beam. Donald and Jasmine winced. When the pistol's light faded, they both saw that Minnie was petrified into a statue.  
“No!" cried Jasmine.   
"PETE, YOU MONSTER!” yelled Donald angrily. He fired another Blizzard spell at Pete but he bounced off to the top of the Darkside's head. He jumped again and retreated to the pirate ship.  
"You certainly took your time." grumbled a grouchy voice. Jasmine and Carpet flew by and glanced at the notorious pirate captain, cloaked in red, with a hook for a hand.   
"You wanna leave now, Hooky? Then tell your crew to get packing. We're done here," said Pete. He whistled once more, cuing the Air Pirates to carry Queen Minnie as a statue, off the arena. Jasmine tugged the Carpet to rush over towards Minnie. The Darkside reached out to Jasmine again but Carpet flew away just in time. The giant had missed. Jasmine could feel her thumping heartbeat.  
“Later losers! Have fun with your new friend!” taunted Pete. He cackled into the cabin as the ship rose and flew away from the stadium.  
"Get back here!" shouted Donald. It was just him, Jasmine, and Carpet against the Darkside. Their fiendish foe raised its arm, as if to crush them. Donald and Jasmine were stood bravely, ready to fight back. Before they could do anything more, the Darkside started to vibrate throughout its shadowy limbs. Its eyes shined like an overcharged beacon. Maybe it could not handle the damage from Donald's attacks.  
PWWWSH! The Darkside's body burst, disintegrating into blotches of dark energy. Donald Duck and Jasmine retreated to the Carpet. They swiftly flew over the remains of the giant. Shades of black and purple matter spread voraciously, consuming the arena and the stadium. Everything disappeared under its darkness. It was no longer safe to be there.  
The Carpet carried Donald Duck and Jasmine out of the floating stadium, humming until it stopped abruptly.  
FW-SHOOOM!  
The explosive power of the darkness rang the sky. Donald and Jasmine gawked down below at the stadium, engulfed in a massive orb of swirling darkness. It was like a hideous, black planet, burning with gas and light.  
"Oh boy. I'm glad we got out of there." Donald let out a heavy sigh. He swiped the sweaty feathers over his eyes.   
"I don't think Pete's realizes what he's gotten into. We can't let him get away," remarked Jasmine. She tugged the Carpet by its fuzzy fabric. It bolted ahead, chasing the pirate ship through the distant clouds. Their plan was to get more information while they had their enemy in sight. Jasmine's heart ached for Queen Minnie, petrified and imprisoned by Pete and the Heartless. As for Donald, he only wanted to teach Pete a lesson with a good pounding. He trusted King Mickey, a noble and brave hero, would be fine, wherever he landed. They would find each other. Eventually. Hopefully.   
* * *  
“Holy Shiitake Mushrooms!” Mushu was flabbergasted by the series of events he witnessed from the mirror. After the darkness conquered the stadium, the footage was then lost. He and Mulan stared blankly into their reflection. They were not not sure if Donald Duck and Jasmine had escaped in time.  
"This is terrible. The King was attacked. And the Queen was kidnapped," recapped Mulan.  
"Why do the Heartless and the oversized dumpling have to ruin a good day? Now it's a disaster!" rambled Mushu.  
"Based on the sunlight from the stadium, the cannon launched the King in the East. If we hurry, we might be able to find him. He'll know how to fight the Heartless threat."  
"Great plan! But uhm...where do we start lookin'? We can't use the mirror. It only shows us a place we already know about." Mushu was right. Mulan did not want to waste time and resources scouring in the wrong places. She took a deep breath and came to her knees. With a humble nod, she began praying to her ancestors.  
"Please. Guide us to King Mickey. Guide us like you guided Mushu to me," Mulan spoke softly. Mushu rolled his eyes. When it come to speaking to the other guardian spirits of the Fa family, he could never please them.  
A streaming breeze whirled through the window. It carried the wispy trail of the burning candles around the ancestral shrine. An azure aura brimmed from the tombstones, from which Mulan's pale ancestors emerged.  
"Fa Mulan," begun the elder spirit with a ghostly white hair. "A new kind of darkness has surfaced. It seeks to leave its own realm and conquer the worlds of light."  
"We know. We saw the whole showdown. It's crazy!" blurted Mushu.  
"King Mickey is lost somewhere. He needs help," said Mulan urgently.  
"And so you two shall aid him. Others will join you. Others will try to stop you," cautioned the elder spirit.  
"Soooo, you gotta tip on where we gotta look?" asked Mushu.  
The elder spirit gave only a quick glare at the puny dragon.   
"Fa Mulan. Travel North with your...guardian to the Bamboo Forest, at the edge of the Eastern mountains. There you will find the King with the key. Be safe. Be wise. And fight with honor."  
"I will. Thank you," Mulan bowed respectfully. Mushu nudged his head and rolled his eyes. The elder spirit and the ancestors receded into their tombstones. Mulan sprung up and told Mushu to wait outside her home. She went straight to her family to tell them that she would be leaving on an urgent mission. As they shared an endearing hug, Mulan assured that she will return as soon as she can. Wearing her family sword in its scabbard by its strap, Mulan signaled Mushu to followed her into the stable.   
"All right! It's Mushu and Mulan! Out again in the battlefield! Family honor for the win!" cheered Mushu from the wooden windowsill. Mulan latched her saddle and other supplies onto her reliable horse, Khan. She then pulled herself over his back and flapped the reins. Mushu leaped and perched on her shoulder.  
"First it was saving the Emperor. Now we're saving the King! Let's do this!" Mushu shared great enthusiasm for the adventure ahead. Mulan appreciated his company. He lent a helping hand when it came to combat and morale. She loved her family and her village dearly. It was her goal to seek the King and stop the Heartless hordes from spreading to the Eastern mountains. It was more than just a matter of honor on the line. She knew from stories that the Heartless were more vicious and merciless than the Huns. There was no time to lose.


	3. The Clouds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SUPER DISNEY BROS.  
> When the Disney Kingdom is threatened by massive forces of evil, our heroes will have to band together and protect their worlds from falling into darkness.  
> Featuring the fantasy elements of Kingdom Hearts and the storyline from Super Smash Bros. Brawl's "Subspace Emissary", enjoy a new take on an epic crossover with your favorite Disney characters from the classic tales to the latest legends  
> 

Carpet swiftly followed the trail of the flying pirate ship. With the use of a heating spell, Donald Duck was able to keep him and Princess Jasmine from freezing in the sky. While he was eager to fight Pete and his Heartless minions, Jasmine nervously gripped the stiff seams of the Carpet. She could not shake off the memories of the screaming fans. The dark energy that had consumed the stadium would not stop there. She had experience with sinister magic and its evil users. Without King Mickey to lead them both, it was up to her and Donald to stop the Heartless from reaching other lands.  
"We're getting closer!" squawked Donald. He tugged the Carpet, gaining on the pirate ship. Jasmine looked ahead, steadying herself against the sudden changes in the wind.  
FWWW-SHOOOOOOM!  
A glowing streak of red shot across the sky. It passed Donald and Jasmine. It seemed to share the same interest in catching up to the pirate ship but with much greater speed.  
"What was that?!" cried Donald. Carpet drifted to the side, giving Donald and Jasmine another angle to view the unidentified flying object. It buzzed around the pirate ship like a bulbous, red beetle. Thunderous cannons filled the sky, aiming to rid itself of the pesky nuisance. Fortunately for Donald and Jasmine, this halted the ship, allowing Carpet to get closer and lurk underneath it.  
* * *  
The cantankerous captain of the flying pirate ship burst through the upper deck doors. He had been deeply disturbed during his afternoon nap.  
“MR. SMEEEEE!” yelled Captain Hook. His tense shoulders barely contained his desire to throw a tantrum. He waited for his pudgy first mate to stand before him and salute.  
“Aye Cap’n?”  
“What be making this blasted racket?!”  
“We’re trying to knock down the bogey, Cap'n.”  
“Why are you wasting me precious cannons on that silly carpet?” asked Captain Hook. "Send the Heartless after them if we must!"  
"It's not them, Cap'n. Look!" Mr. Smee pointed to the red object, flying overhead. It then swerved, cast a harsh glare with its smooth, metal surface.  
"Clear the skies! Fire the cannons!" barked Captain Hook.  
“But you just said-” Mr. Smee could not finish his bumbling remark. Captain Hook had snatched him up to his beak-like nose.  
"Blast the red bug and bring the pilot to me," instructed Captain Hook before inhaling, "UNDERSTAAAAAND!"  
"Uh-huh! I mean-aye aye, Cap'n!" Mr. Smee stuttered, spewing a series of non-intelligent sounds. He finally managed to pass on the command to the Heartless, scattered over the ship. They assumed their roles, loaded up the cannons and adjusted the line of fire. Despite their terrible aim, Captain Hook found some pleasure in watching the red object dodging his cannon fire.  
Meanwhile, Carpet snuck to the stern of the ship. Donald knocked off the flightless Heartless fiends on guard while Jasmine was the first to set foot onboard. Donald joined her while the Carpet dropped to the wooden floor. It lifted its back, as if exhausted from the flight.  
"You've earned yourself a good rest," praised Jasmine. She covered Donald from behind while he moved forward, waving his staff cautiously. Upon hearing cackling from the main deck, Jasmine pulled Donald behind two large barrels. They peeked through the thin gap and spotted Captain Hook and Mr. Smee. Both were infamous pirates that were often thwarted by the spunky leader of the Lost Boys, Peter Pan. Jasmine knew she and Donald could not face every single foe on the ship. She wanted to stay quiet and eavesdrop for any information on Queen Minnie's location. Donald wished to face Pete one last time and settle the score.  
"It won't be long now." Captain Hook grinned as he twisted his wiry mustache. "We rule the skies now, Smee. I think a part of me will almost miss that wretched boy."  
"Peter Pan? It has been a while since we last dealt with him. I wonder whatever happened to him," said Mr. Smee.  
"I, the clever Captain James Hook, tricked that red-headed brat into believing his beloved Tinker Bell was taken hostage at a faraway castle.”  
"But she's with us. She's keeping this ship afloat."  
"Aye. Peter Pan is a foolish lad. The owner of that castle is a vicious beast who despises 'uninvited guests'."  
"Do you think this beast will finish Peter Pan for good?"  
"I pray so. If not, the beast will keep the boy busy. Either way, it will work for our greater plan," boasted Captain Hook.  
"What plan is that, Cap'n?” Mr. Smee gazed upon his marvelous leader. He longed to learn what schemes Captain Hook was concocting. Donald Duck and Jasmine were also keen on learning anything about his villainous affairs. Much to all of their disappointment, Captain Hook gave a haughty laugh.  
“Nevermind that. Tis Captain's work. Make sure the Heartless hit that-  
BZZZT-BZZZT!  
Neon green blasts pelted the side of the ship. Captain Hook let out a yelp while Mr. Smee tumbled and lost his balance. Donald Duck and Jasmine shrieked. Their cover was blown as the barrels were destroyed. Behind the plumes of smoke, they made a hasty retreat towards the mid-level stairway. Donald turned for a moment and caught a close view of the flying object. It was a scarlet space cruiser, equipped with plasma pistols and a blue cockpit. It rocketed far ahead, rotated its pistols, and attacked once again. This time, its green blasts struck the main deck, near the main mast.  
"SMEEEE! What's taking us so long?!" shouted Captain Hook.  
"We'll bring it down, Cap'n!" assured Mr. Smee. Distressed, He scurried to the antsy Heartless, who hissed him away. The panels to the mid-level cabin slid open. Pete emerged and slammed his feet on the main deck.  
"Does a certain captain need help defending his ship?" mocked Pete.  
"Shut your yap, you hooligan!" snapped Captain Hook. "We've got a red devil in the sky."  
"A red devil?" Pete followed the sounds of the space cruiser, evading the cannon fire.  
"Unless you've got another Heartless, hiding under your trousers, I suggest ye stay out of the way!" warned Captain Hook.  
"I don't hand them out like free samples, Hooky. Why not let me use that 'ol Anchor Whip you got in the front?" Pete did not wait for an answer. Captain Hook hollered but Pete heaved the handles of the massive cannon-like device, holding the anchor. It was supposed to be used to bring the ship down for landing. Pete kept his beady eyes on his target. He rubbed his thumbs on the trigger. He squinted and watched how the red spaceship moved away from the cannons.  
CLICK! The anchor was launched and smacked into the hood of the red spaceship. In doing so, its drastic weight tossed the flying pirate ship on its port side. Everyone except Pete flung off their feet. Jasmine nearly toppled off the edge but Donald caught her wrist and pulled her back. The other Heartless bumped into each other and collided over Mr. Smee. Captain Hook held onto the starboard railing with his hook and climbed his way over to Pete's position at the front. He was ready to shout down his eardrums. Before he could begin to raise his voice, Captain Hook watched the red spaceship drop past the clouds in a trail of smoke. Pete grumbled as he reeled in the anchor back on board.  
"There! Be grateful we're on the same team. Hehe!" said Pete.  
"You could have flipped the entire ship, you fool!" scolded Captain Hook.  
"And you could have lost your whole ship. Now what's a captain without a ship, hmmm?" Pete smirked as Captain Hook growled and glared. If it was not for Pete's weight, the pirate would have hurled him out to the clouds. Before he could respond with a snarky retort, Mr. Smee cried out to him.  
"Cap'n! We got stowaways!"  
Both Captain Hook and Pete swung their faces around. They first looked at Mr. Smee wagging his pointed finger and then turned towards the two intruders of the Jolly Roger. Jasmine and Donald Duck sprinted fast, losing their breath.  
"Grrrr! Get'em boys!" Pete signaled the Heartless to follow his command but Captain Hook swung his hook against his chubby chest.  
"My ship, my authority! Get'em boys!" shouted Captain Hook in a shrill voice. The Shadows, the Sword Pirates, and the Air Pirates gathered on the main deck and chased Jasmine and Donald to the farthest point of the stern. Jasmine pleaded to the Carpet to take them out of the ship. It hovered and held her and Donald as it bounded upward. The screeching Shadows and the slashing Sword Pirates lost their prey. As for the three Air Pirates, they were still chasing their prey.  
The Carpet had not fully regained its strength and flew weakly. Donald tried to hit the swarming Air Pirates, swooping and dodging his magic attacks. Jasmine gripped onto the Carpet and glimpsed at the distant red blur, plummeting like a meteor. The view of vast forest lands grew with their imminent impact.  
One daring Air Pirate narrowed its sharp wings and dived down quickly. It snatched Jasmine by her shoulders. She screamed, alerting Donald to help her.  
"Get away!" shrieked Donald, blasting the Air Pirate with a Fire spell. Jasmine was released into the air where she fell several feet away from the Carpet. Donald furiously yanked the Carpet to steer over to her. One hand pulled its tassel while the other stuck out his staff to reach Jasmine's hand. The chirping of wild birds grew louder, creeping into their ears. Time was running out.  
Carpet exerted a spurt of energy, enough to pick up Jasmine and glide straight into the forest. Its body tried to shield her and Donald from hitting the thick branches and prickly twigs.  
THUD...THUD...WHAM!  
Jasmine and Donald Duck tumbled onto the ground, ridden with dirt and dead leaves. While the princess clenched her teeth from her bruised shoulder, the feathered mage stepped back to his webbed feet.  
"Take THIS!" Donald cast a Thunder spell, shooting strings of electricity at the three Air Pirates. They burst into specks of darkness and disappeared. Donald hurried over to Jasmine and cast a Cure spell on her. Donald succumbed to his trembling knees and plopped to the ground.  
"That was close!" exclaimed Donald, panting.  
"Are you okay, Donald? You should heal yourself," said Jasmine softly.  
"I used up too much magic. I have wait a while," explained Donald. Magic had its limits, just like physical strength. In order for Donald to replenish his magical power, he needed to rest and refrain from spellcasting for about a half hour.  
"It's too bad we couldn't save the Queen."  
Jasmine frowned. She was disappointed in herself. All she and Donald could do was chase a flying pirate ship just to escape so quickly. When a passing breeze rustled the leaves above, Jasmine looked up and spotted a patch of the sky through the trees. An idea struck. She approached a tall tree and hoisted herself up to its lowest branch.  
"What are you doing? Be careful!" cried Donald. Jasmine did not respond right away. She steadied her weight against a forked branch. Climbing the bony branches, Jasmine cleared the leaves and found a distant tail of rising smoke.  
"What do you see?" hollered Donald. Jasmine took a quick, catlike path back to the ground. She was beaming brightly, despite the smudges and tears on her royal robe.  
"That red spaceship. I know where it is." Jasmine scooped the Carpet into her arms and beckoned Donald to follow her past the tree she just climbed.  
"Wait. Do you want to find the spaceship that almost killed us?" asked Donald skeptically.  
"It was trying to attack the pirate ship, not us. Besides, we won't get anywhere far on foot. Carpet's still too tired to fly us anywhere. We need his help and maybe we can help him too."  
"Well...if we are on the same side, maybe he knows more about what Hook and Pete are up to."  
"Exactly."  
"And maybe we can go looking for the King too!" shouted Donald in glee. He bounced on his flappy duck feet.  
"That's the idea. I just hope the pilot turns out to be a friend and not another enemy," said Jasmine. It was her only plan. They were stuck, traversing the forest where they had to watch out for any wild Heartless. Every few moments, Jasmine would take the lead, climb up the trees, and confirm that they were on the right path. So much had happened in a single day. She and Donald may have to plan for shelter. She knew that her sweetheart, Aladdin, would stress if he knew about the devastating events that had transpired. He was a noble and clever young man who would put himself in harm's way to protect her. For now, Jasmine had to take care of herself. Both Donald and Carpet still needed to regain their strength. She was not a skilled fighter but she could motivate people to persevere past their own doubts. As to whether she could motivate the mysterious pilot of the red spaceship to assist them, Jasmine had no idea what to really expect.


	4. The Alliance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the Disney Kingdom is threatened by massive forces of evil, our heroes will have to band together and protect their worlds from falling into darkness.  
> Featuring the fantasy elements of Kingdom Hearts and the storyline from Super Smash Bros. Brawl's "Subspace Emissary", enjoy a new take on an epic crossover with your favorite Disney characters from the classic films to the newest legends

Ribbons of darkness shuffled over Mulan, passing through the bamboo trees. Tiny bugs chirped under the late afternoon sky. Ominous breezes whispered like the gentle melody of a flute. Mulan had been venturing through the forest for a few hours. Mushu exhausted himself from shouting various battle chants and napped in her satchel. Mulan had to rely on her memory of the mirror's vision to find King Mickey. No other clues had surfaced on his location. Her horse, Khan, could feel her frustration through his reins, pulled in all directions. Mulan licked her lips and considered taking another break by the stream she had found. She took a deep breath and eased her shoulders. Perhaps a meditative moment of peace would clear her mind. It was then that she heard a distant moan. She focused and listened once more. The same moan echoed from the same place. She swerved her horse to gallop due North. His hooves pummeled the dirt, alerting Mushu from his slumber.  
"Are we there yet?" mumbled Mushu. He poked his head out of the satchel and gazed at the bamboo abyss around him. Mulan scrunched her shoulders and firmly held her seat when her horse leaped over a steep ridge.  
"HU-WHAA!" shrieked Mushu. He stretched and cracked his dragon's spine. He climbed up Mulan's gi and perched on her shoulder. "Yo Mulan. How are we doing as Team Honor? Did we find anything yet?"  
"I don't know. Maybe," replied Mulan, eyes mainly forward.  
"'I don't know. Maybe.'? What does that mean? I'm about ready to stuff some steamed buns in these dragon jaws. Hey listen, I think we forgot to pack some sweet and sour sauce. Do you think-"  
The horse let out a shrill whinny. A small person, with a large head and equally large ears, lay in a crater, twice his size.  
"Sweet Mother of the Chinese Zodiac! It's the King!" exclaimed Mushu. He dropped to the ground, ripped off a splinter from a bamboo tree, and poked the body. It exhaled and blinked its wide cartoony eyes.  
"Mickey, my man. How ya feelin'?" Mushu waved his scaly claw over Mickey's face.  
"Mushu! You're supposed to say 'your Majesty'," corrected Mulan. She dismounted and approached Mickey. "Are you hurt? We're here to help you."  
“Huh…who are you?” asked Mickey, rubbing his aching head.  
"I'm Fa Mulan. You can just call me Mulan. This is my guardian, Mushu. We were sent to rescue you."  
"Rescue," repeated Mickey softly. He looked side to side, trying to figure out the area. Nothing but bamboo as far as he could see.  
"Yeah, don't you remember, your Majesty? You were shot out of a cannon," reminded Mushu.  
"Cannon...rescue," Mickey thought back to the booming blast that blurred his mind. A whimpering cry rang out to him.   
"MINNIE!" Mickey panicked and bolted up to his feet.   
"Minnie? Oh QUEEN Minnie. That's your honey-bunny," said Mushu. "I remember. She was taken by Pete and the Heartless."  
"Were you two there? What happened?" Mickey turned frantic for answers.  
"After you were launched, Donald Duck and Princess Jasmine chased the pirate ship and the stadium was swallowed by the darkness," recapped Mulan. "It's going to spread to other places if we don't stop it."  
"But do ya know where the ship went? Where did they take Minnie?" Mickey was antsy, practically interrogating Mulan and Mushu for her whereabouts. Instead, they slouched their shoulders and frowned.  
"We saw it all from a mirror that only showed us the stadium. We don't know anything beyond that. I'm sorry, your Majesty," said Mulan.  
Mickey sulked and looked away.  
"But we need your help to fight the Heartless. What can we do?" asked Mulan. For such a cheerful king, Mickey found it difficult to force a smile on his face when he had no idea if Minnie was in danger or not.  
"If it makes you feel better, Donald and Jasmine should be fine. They escaped on the carpet. They zoomed out to safety on that floating rug," confirmed Mushu.  
"Well...I suppose that's good news." Mickey nodded and surveyed the forest again. "Do you know how to get out of here?"  
"Definitely. You can ride with us," offered Mulan. She reached out her hand towards Mickey. Mushu grinned and raised his thumb. He was eager to travel alongside someone who was both a living legend and a royal ruler.  
"Gosh. Thank you Mulan," Mickey followed Mulan up to her saddle and sat behind her. While she guided her horse through the bamboo forest, Mushu started to chat with Mickey to put him in a good mood. He tried asking about his favorite food, favorite color, favorite fighting move, and how many bedrooms were in his castle. Mickey only mumbled short answers, much to Mushu's dismay.  
They rode down a steep hill, curving past a still pond.   
"Hold up," requested Mickey. Mulan tightened the reins and stopped her horse.  
"What is it? A hot springs spa?" Mushu sprung from behind Mickey's ears.  
"Something is watching us. It's close," explained Mickey. Mulan gripped the hilt of her family sword. Mushu growled and pointed his dragon's snout. Nothing appeared nor were there any strange sounds. Mickey dropped from the horse and headed to the pond. A heavy fog drifted from the other side. Mickey twitched his ears. He then summoned his Keyblade and stood on guard.   
Finally, Mulan and Mushu heard it too.  
A humming motor was near. It grew louder. A hooded figure floated into view. It hovered in midair like a phantom. It shined its bright blue, pixelated eyes. Two beams of blue shot out and scanned Mickey, Mulan, and Mushu. All three of them flinched.  
"King Mickey. Threat level. 9. Fa Mulan. Threat level. 7. Mushu. Threat level. 2."  
“Hey!" hissed Mushu. "I don't know what kind of messed-up scale you're using but you can't flaunt your lights and judge me. You don't know me or my dragon mamma." Mushu's bickering caused the phantom to turn its gaze with a grinding click. The front flaps of its cloak whipped outward. The lower half of its body was white and round like a pill. Mickey gasped upon catching a glimpse of its Heartless symbol. The phantom glowed a ghostly white while its symbol shined black and red.  
Suddenly, bubbly blobs of darkness emerged from the ground. They wiggled and took the form of a new breed of Heartless, one that Mickey had never seen more. There were seven of them, with a mechanical appearance. They ignited motor sounds on banded tractor tires and clasped the air with pincer-like arms. Their bug-eyed lens buzzed and shook. As the phantom leader flew away into the fog, the wheeled Heartless charged after Mickey.   
"Oh yeah baby! It's battle time! For family honor! Hi-ya!" cried Mushu. Mulan unsheathed her sword and ran past Mickey. She slashed the closest Heartless while Mushu sprung forward and spat fireballs at his foes.  
"We'll cover these monsters, your Majesty. Go after the phantom!" shouted Mulan.  
"Right." Mickey chased the robotic rogue through the bamboo forest. He fired a blast of white light to clear the fog. The phantom drifted between the trees and swerved in circles. Mickey leaped, ready to swing his Keyblade. Seconds before contact, the phantom phased out of sight. It had dashed so quickly back to where Mickey had jumped. He landed and came after it with another Keyblade strike. The phantom rocketed up to the height of the trees and zoomed onward. Mickey tried to run after it but it moved with greater speed.  
Thumping horse feet approached Mickey from behind. A hand swung in to snatch him off the ground and seat him onto a saddle.  
"Hang on." Mulan rode her horse to gallop even faster. They were catching up to the phantom.  
"I got this!" volunteered Mushu. He slithered up the horse's neck and pounced right over to the phantom's cloak. Its blinding blue lights whirled backwards.   
"Oh my…what lovely...eyes you have," Mushu recognized his failure to flatter the phantom when it raised its short arm, morphing into a blaster gun.  
PWWWWSH!  
Mushu was blasted away in a trail of smoke. Mulan swerved her horse and caught him just in time.  
"Looks like...I don't...got this. Bleh." Mushu coughed and went limp like an overcooked noodle. Mulan placed him into her satchel as she believed he earned himself another nap.   
"It's over there!" shouted Mickey. The chase continued. Mulan raced to the fleeing phantom towards the edge of the bamboo forest.   
"We're so close. You're doing great," said Mulan to the horse. Mickey raised his Keyblade, closed one eye, and prepared to aim a projectile blast at the phantom. It twirled up and shot at the ground. A violent burst of smoke and dirt frightened the horse into a frenzy. Mickey hung on to the saddle while Mulan worked to calm it down. Desperate to catch the phantom, Mickey stepped off and sprinted. After passing through the smoke, he watched his robotic adversary soar towards the Western valley. Mickey cast an attack spell but to no avail. The blast of white light had trailed off its target and faded. The phantom had escaped.  
Mulan rode her horse towards Mickey, where they found themselves on a grassy hill, atop a dirt road. All the bamboo trees stood behind them.  
"Where did it go?" asked Mulan.  
"That way." Mickey pointed up West but quickly brought his hand down. "But it's gone now."   
"I'm sorry, your Majesty. We did everything we could," said Mulan.  
"Mulan, I want to thank you. I really appreciate you and Mushu for finding me out here and for handling those Heartless. You're both really terrific," commented Mickey.  
"Thank you. It means so much to hear you say that. If you could give me ten minutes to let my horse eat and rest, we can go on. That is, if you're okay with us traveling together."  
"Of course! I definitely like the company. It'll be a tough journey ahead. We gotta find that phantom. It's the only clue we got about what the Heartless are up to with Pete." Mickey was determined. He felt confident with his new allies. Sword in hand, Mulan left her horse and approached Mickey. He watched her step down to one knee and give a respectful bow.   
"What are ya doing?"  
"I, Fa Mulan, will pledge my allegiance to your Majesty, King Mickey, to stop the Heartless across all the lands." Mulan proceeded to stand back up and cross her chest with her sword  
"That's might nice of you but you can just call me Mickey. I don't mind. I heard you've done a great deal for your country. I should be bowing to you too." Mickey returned the favor with a king's bow and held out his gloved hand.  
"Well then. Can I call you 'Mickey, my man'?" Mushu had burst from the satchel and rushed to shake Mickey's hand. Mickey chuckled at the feisty dragon.  
"Sure thing. We're friends now." Mickey faced Mulan again. She gave a warm smile and shook Mickey's hand. She was proud to call herself an ally and a friend of the King.  
"Awwww yeah!" screeched Mushu, "Team Honor gets a new member! Let's take a quick snack break with the pony and ride into the sunset. Nothing's gonna stop us now. Watch out Heartless! We're coming to set your booties on FIYA!"   
Mickey and Mulan cracked up with glee. It helped Mickey to overcome his worrisome feelings for Minnie. He ambled beside Mulan and her horse to a nearby stream. While drinking its crystal clear water, he glanced at his gleaming reflection. His eyes seemed to sparkle but they only reminded him of the phantom. There was something about those bright blue, pixelated eyes. They were familiar.


	5. The Monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the Disney Kingdom is threatened by massive forces of evil, our heroes will have to band together and protect their worlds from falling into darkness.  
> Featuring the fantasy elements of Kingdom Hearts and the storyline from Super Smash Bros. Brawl's "Subspace Emissary", enjoy a new take on an epic crossover with your favorite Disney characters from the classic films to the newest legends!

“Can't this piece of junk go any faster!” grumbled Randall, a five-foot tall, purple salamander. He thrusted one of his eight feet against the gas pedal. The stolen vehicle was a puny cart with a plastic roof, held by four flimsy poles. With two seats available, there was only enough room for the reptilian rogue and a highly advanced mechanism in the passenger's spot. Randall had used his camouflaging scales to infiltrate the Monster's Inc. facility and purloined a spare global core, a critical piece to traveling between worlds. It was supposed to be a smooth hiest for a solo thief. Everything came to ruin when two employees of Monsters Inc. had caught him and chased him through an active doorway, one that lead to a strange jungle.   
The bumpy terrain only aggravated Randall. He reached one hand to steady the box, holding the core, which resembled a jagged gear with a flat bulb. He tried to steer the cart onto the smoothest surface he could see under the thick canopy. The blotchy patches of sunlight did very little to help him. All Randall had to do was get to the rendezvous point and deliver the core to the man who strongly desired it.   
RAAAAAAAAAAR! A spine-tingling roar echoed from behind. Thumping paws hounded after Randall. He pressed the pedal even harder. The edge of the jungle shined ahead. If the cart would keep its speed at constant, Randall believed he would make it.  
"Aaaaaaah-AAAAAAH!" A familiar voice cried out in an attempt to mimic an animal call. Someone had swung from a vine and flew past the trees.   
THUD! That same person had landed on the roof.  
Growling through his crooked teeth, Randall swerved the cart into a sharp turn. The jumper rolled over to the passenger side of the roof. As he hung low and reached for the box, Randall flicked his hand away. It was a small green monster whose body was mostly comprised of a giant eyeball with bony limbs.  
"Get lost, Mike Wazowski!" hissed Randall.   
"Put a sock in it, lizard-boy!" snapped Mike. "You're not getting away!" He dove onto the box and reached for the folded cardboard lid. Randall lunged at Mike while holding the steering wheel with one foot. He jabbed Mike's eye and shoved him off the box. Mike gripped onto the edge of the cart, losing its speed. Randall stashed the box onto the pedal to keep the cart moving.   
"Say hi to your polka-dotted pal for me!" shouted Randall, ready to peel off Mike's hands.  
KRRRRRSH! Two furry claws dug into the back of the cart. Randall's shriveled heart nearly burst.   
"Sulley, you big lump! Our old friend-turned-traitor wanted to say hi to you!" exclaimed Mike with a jolly grin.  
Sulley was a seven-foot tall behemoth. Despite his azure fur with pink dots, this monster knew how to terrify any friend or foe.   
"Randall! There's nowhere else to go!" warned Sulley. Randall wormed to the bottom of the cart and grabbed the box.  
"That's what you think!" As Randall leaped away, he kicked back the cart. Mike and Sulley were caught in a screeching tailspin. The cart rammed into a mossy tree. Randall snickered and carried the box out of the jungle.  
Basking in the burning sunlight, Randall surveyed his surroundings. He distanced himself from the jungle's edge and moved closer to the center of a wide, dry terrain. Judging from the mountain peaks and the Southern cliff side above a large lake, Randall had arrived at the right spot to meet his client. He held the box overhead for shade. He immediately jolted out further when he heard Mike and Sulley getting closer. Randall had to admit that Sulley was right; there really was nowhere else to go.  
PWWWF! Dark red plumes erupted in front of Mike and Sulley. They slipped as they cautioned themselves. Randall recognized the color of the smoke and fire. It curled into the hood of a cobra before constricting and twisting into the shape of a tall, thin man. The smoke cleared, revealing a sinister sorcerer in black and red. He wore an ornate feathered hat and held a cobra-shaped staff with ruby eyes. Perched on his pointed shoulder, a parrot snapped its beak at the two monsters.  
"This tropical weather bites, Jafar!" squawked the parrot. "The humidity makes me feathers feel all shaggy!"  
"Hush, Iago!" commanded the sorcerer. He sneered at Mike and Sulley. He swung his pitch black cape as he turned to Randall.  
"You certainly like to make an entrance," snarled Randall.  
"Do you have it?" asked Jafar with a cold, deep voice.  
"It's in here, boss." Randall gave the box to Jafar, holding it with his left hand. His other hand thrust his staff towards Mike and Sulley, behind him.  
"I see you brought...company," observed Jafar with disdain. "Are they from your world?"  
"What? Yeah." answered Randall. Jafar hummed to himself. He gestured Iago to flutter to the box and open the lid.   
"This looks about right, Jafar." Iago pinched the global core, gleaming in the sunlight. "Now can we get out of here?"  
"Patience," insisted Jafar. He inspected the core and slipped it into his pocket.  
"Hand it over, you creep!" jeered Mike. Jafar ignored him and tossed aside the box.  
"Hey!" shouted Sulley, "I don't know who you are or why Randall is working with you, but you need to give us back the core. It's dangerous!"  
"Your concern is touching but hardly necessary," replied Jafar. He rubbed his staff and concocted an idea. "I think I'll make good use of you." Mike and Sulley looked at each other. Even Randall was confused by his words. Mike lost his cool and ran after Jafar. He aimed his cobra staff, glowing bright red from the eyes. Sulley lunged and yanked Mike away from Jafar's line of fire.  
PZZZZZZ! The staff shot a beam of red light shot at Sulley. His roar was immediately cut off when his body froze. His soft fur turned to solid stone. Mike gasped as Sully was cursed and became a statue.  
“Sulley? SULLEY!” cried Mike, tapping Sulley. Jafar shook his staff and levitated Sulley over to his side.  
“What gives? What do you need him for?” asked Randall, impressed and threatened by Jafar's magic.  
"This beast cannot be allowed to interfere with our plans. His little friend is not worth the effort." Jafar flung out his cape and raised his staff. He summoned a stormy portal of darkness through which he sent the Sulley, unable to fight back or move an inch. Mike's best friend had disappeared.  
"Hey! What about our deal?" Randall was not about to be cheated by a scrawny man in lavish clothes.  
"Of course, my friend. I shall honor our bargain." Jafar struck Randall with black and red bolts of electricity. The eight-legged reptile hollered in pain and flailed. Mike was mortified. Jafar scoffed back at him and passed through the portal. Mike ran after him but the portal vanished into a shadowy wisp.  
Randall grunted and gasped, almost choking. Mike thought about offering help but Randall hissed with his sharp teeth.  
"What did that guy do to you?" asked Mike softly. Randall let out a harsh scream and sprinted off the cliff side. Mike went after him. He had to know what was going on with Jafar and their deal. When Mike tumbled to the very bottom of the rocky slope, he spotted Randall, retreating into the lake. It was tiring to keep up but Mike made it to the damp sand where he collapsed. He could feel a tremor, rippling the lake. About twenty feet away, a bizarre vehicle sat by the water's edge. It looked like a wrecked police cruiser, red on the outside with two blue thrusters in the back.   
SPLSHSHSHSH!  
Randall emerged from the water but he had grown enormously. His upper four hands were turned into webbed claws. His spine had sprouted spikey quills, frilling in and out. Mike looked at his adversary, having taken the form of a soulless sea serpent.  
"Uh...Randall?"  
ARRRRRRGH! The mighty monster let out a thunderous scream. Randall dove and snatched Mike off the shore. Mike could feel his round body about to be squished. He cried for help.  
PWWF! The cracked windshield burst out of the car. Randall followed the sound. Mike could see that the driver's seat was empty. A blurry, dark blue figure swiftly leaped over to Randall, pounded his head, and opened his claw. As soon as Mike was freed, he was carried while soaring over the water. He hollered until they landed, trailing through the wet pebbles on the shore.  
"Thanks...uhm." Mike needed to blink his single eye at his rescuer. It had to be another monster like him but not any kind that he had ever met.   
"My...name...Stitch," squeaked the little blue creature. He was furry, had a peculiar koala nose, and stout rabbit ears. He put out his paw as if to shake hands. Mike hesitated but stared into Stitch's huge black eyes. He seemed like a friendly fellow.  
ARRRRRRGH! Randall returned with another roar. Mike winced but Stitch growled back, unafraid.   
"Meega, nala kwishta!” mocked Stitch, ready to finish the fight.


	6. The Vizier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the Disney Kingdom is threatened by massive forces of evil, our heroes will have to band together and protect their worlds from falling into darkness.  
> Featuring the fantasy elements of Kingdom Hearts and the storyline from Super Smash Bros. Brawl's "Subspace Emissary", enjoy a new take on an epic crossover with your favorite Disney characters from the classic films to the newest legends!

Stitch twitched his head, as if searching with his keen eyes. He darted several feet away from Mike Wazowski to fetch a stone with a sharp, bladed edge. Snarling through his teeth, Stitch pelted Randall in between his eyes. He howled and slammed the surface of the lake with his serpentine tail.  
SPLSSSH!  
Stitch yelped and fled from the violent wave. Mike had no idea how to help his new comrade. He looked back at Randall and noticed a red gash in between his eyes, where he had been hit.  
"Naga-naga. Weechiba!" squeaked Stitch, waving his little arms at Mike.  
"What? What are you saying?" asked Mike, clueless and hesitant.  
Stitch pointed to the water, then to him, and shook his face like a fussy child.  
"You don't like the water...?"  
"I...can't-AAAH!" Stitch sprung away and pulled Mike along with him. Randall had lunged with his vicious jaw. It snapped shut without a victim.  
Mike was released and tumbled back onto the shore. Randall straightened his body, growing his thorny spines and his webbed claws. His once lavender scales turned ugly, dark purple. His old rival had succumbed to something wretched. Something toxic.  
"I'm open to any ideas, buddy!" cried Mike. "As long as I can...well..understand them."  
"Chikama...Orcachta!" exclaimed Stitch. Whirling past Mike, Stitch headed to his space cruiser. Mike thought that he had something, maybe a weapon, they could use to finish off Randall. Unfortunately for them, the lakeside dweller was already onto them.  
Randall opened his acidic mouth where bright purple sparks lit his throat.  
"Look out!" shouted Mike. Stitch twitched his ear. He buried his feet into a fortified stance and opened his arms. He barked at Randall, curling his back like a disturbed dragon.  
PWWWWWWSH!  
Wild violet flames spewed from Randall. Stitch was wide open to feel the direct attack.  
"Nooo!" Mike raised his arm and cringed. What could he do except scream for help? It would have been different if he was working with his best friend, Sulley. He was the beastly brawn of their once dynamic duo. Mike knew how to encourage Sulley and strategize his strengths. On his own, he could only write detailed reports on monster physiology and entertain children. How could any of those skills help him in this kind of fight?  
Instead of panicking, Mike waited to see what became of Stitch. He was afraid to move if a single step on a slippery stone would alert Randall. The violet flames subsided, revealing Mike's resilient ally.  
In his claws, Stitch held a kind of molten clump of violet energy. Mike was bewildered. Who was this monster? What was he?  
Stitch reached back and hurled the glowing clump back into Randall's mouth. Randall gagged and flailed, causing violent waves to splash. Mike scurried over to Stitch. They both watched Randall dive headfirst into the water. His tail whipped madly. He was still full of rage but at least Mike and Stitch had a moment to rethink their plan.  
"You're a tough guy, arenchya?" asked Mike. Stitch shrugged off the water from his fur before smiling back at him.  
"Wikima! Laliga!" Stitch made a hasty crawl over to his space cruiser. Mike hurried behind him. Stitch had hopped into the pilot's seat where his claws flew from different levers, meters, knobs, and buttons. Mike's single eye could not keep up. He gasped when the cracked monitor turned on. On the top right corner, the gun-shaped icon flickered, surrounded with bizarre symbols. Stitch squealed with joy and grabbed what appeared to be a joystick with a red trigger. He tugged it loose and slammed it forward. The gun-shaped icon went dim, causing Stitch to growl in frustration.  
"It's broken," said Mike in a grave tone. He glanced up at the foamy surface of the lake. Randall had returned.  
"I'll buy you some time, pal. You get to fixin' whatever gizmo you got in there." Mike hopped out of the space cruiser and abruptly stopped. He had an idea.  
"If you can understand me, hit him in the spine. That should keep him from getting back up." Mike ran as fast as he could, watching his step on the shore. He kept to the dryer edge to move faster. Stitch watched the talkative green eyeball yell and wave his arms to distract Randall. The blue alien understood everything Mike had said. He went back to fixing the wires and the control pad.  
Besides camouflage, Mike knew that Randall's greatest strength was his flexible body. He could slither, crawl through tight areas, and move evasively out of sight. So far, Stitch had tried to hit the head, which only enraged Randall. Mike also knew that Randall hated his sense of humor. With those two points in mind, Mike finally found a way to aid Stitch in their battle.  
"Wakey-wakey, Lizard-Lakey! I'm over here!" taunted Mike. He danced and jeered at Randall, who focused all of his beastly attention on him. Randall swam and lurked in the deep center of the lake. He pursued Mike and came at him with another bite. Mike jumped several feet away and spat his tongue at him.  
"You getting pretty big, Randy. Did you gain weight? Buddy. You gotta lay off the cupcakes." Mike bore an obnoxious smile. Randall roared and curled his back. Those same purple sparks arose from the back of his throat. Mike was losing stamina and caught his foot on some muddy sand. He tripped and gaped at the fiery blast, crackling and growing.  
BZZZZZZZZZT! A massive glowing bullet of neon green light was shot from the wrecked space cruiser. Randall screeched and wailed. His scales were burned to a crisp. The neon green substance rapidly spread up and down his spine. In an act of desperation, Randall flung his head over at the space cruiser. He slammed his skull onto the nose cap, catapulting a tiny blue blur into the air. Mike squinted, trying his best to watch where Stitch would fall, under the sunlight.  
SPLSH! Stitch had taken a deep dive into the water. He squealed in gibberish but even Mike knew that it was a cry for help. Without hesitation, Mike jumped into the shallow waters and swam as fast as he could. He followed the sound of Stitch, slapping the surface which quickly became bubbly babble. He reached down and grabbed Stitch's claw, just inches before sinking to the bottom. Mike brought him up where he gasped for air. They turned to Randall who was cloaked in violet light and smoke. His burning breath attack was about to be unleashed. Mike pulled Stitch back underwater for cover.  
PWSHSHSHSH! Ka-BOOOM! Plumes of violet light rose above the trees. Mike and Stitch resurfaced. They eventually made back to the shore where Mike collapsed on the dry grass and dirt. Beyond exhausted, Mike could not pick himself up. Thankfully, Stitch was happy to help. Mike tried to rest while he was carried back to the space cruiser. Stitch waited for Mike to stand on his own. He held onto the smooth rim of the cruiser and looked at Stitch, calm and friendly.  
"Th...th...thank you. Friend."  
"Uhm...you're welcome. You said you're Stitch, right? I'm Mike. Mike Wazowski." Mike gave a weak chuckle.  
"Waloga...namachi...uh...WAZOWSKI!" exclaimed Stitch, clapping his claws.  
"There you go. Haha...eh," said Mike. He looked back to the lake one last time. Randall was nowhere to be seen. As much as he disliked his office rival, Mike never would have wished for such a terrible fate. It had to do with whatever that man named Jafar did to him. It was the same man who had kidnapped Sulley and took the global core. Before Mike could leave through the doorway that led to his home, Monstropolis, he had to rescue his best friend, wherever he was.  
"Jim-Jim!" Stitch spoke into a kind of device with a speaker, attached to a curly cord.  
"What?" asked Mike, pulling himself into the frame of the pilot's seat.  
"Jim-Jim!" repeated Stitch. Only scratchy noises from static to humming were present from the speaker. Stitch groaned as he bumped his head onto the monitor and pulled his eyelids.  
"Hey...Stitch." When Mike spoke, Stitch did not respond. He dug through the debris with a determined drive. "I-uh...I need your help."  
Stitch's left ear propped up and twitched from side to side. Maybe he was listening after all.  
"That weird guy with the staff...he took my friend. You know...the bigger blue furball. His name is Sulley. I need to find out where he is and bring him home with me. I know you've got your own problems...but...I don't know what else to do. I don't know anyone that'll help me. I...I won't leave without Sulley. He's...like family to me."  
Stitch bolted upward. He climbed out of his seat and stared into Mike's single eye.  
"You...lost...family?" asked Stitch. His squeaky voice turned melancholy. Stitch unclipped what had to be something akin to a glove compartment. He retrieved a hand-made doll, sagging on its huge head. It had a pink bow tied to a tuft of hay and a stitched smile.  
"I...lost...family." Stitch embraced the doll and placed it back into the clipped compartment.  
"Ohana" muttered Stitch.  
"Ohana?" responded Mike. He thought it was either the name of the person he lost or the name of the doll.  
"Ohana...means...family. Family...means...no one...gets left behind...or forgotten," said Stitch sweetly. Mike would have cried if it was not for a timely cough.  
"So...will you help me find Sully? My family?" checked Mike.  
"EH!" Stitch nodded and grinned. Mike was invited to squeeze beside him. Stitch twisted a few levers and raised one red meter to the middle. Stitch pinched two wires together, snapping a tiny burst of electricity. The beeping noise went off. Mike turned to a flashing symbol, made of three concentric circles. It started from the smallest to the largest and looped in the same cycle.  
"Jim-Jim!" Stitch pulled out a scarlet, square-shaped remote with two tiny antennas. On the bottom, there was an outlet, through which it was charging from the ship. The panels opened from the center, revealing a green screen with a glowing grid.  
"Is that a map?" asked Mike.  
"EH!" replied Stitch. He leaped out of the space cruiser, opposite of where Mike was standing. Mike followed him where Stitch brought his tracker. Stitch sniffed Mike and studied the screen once more. He pressed a button which maximized the map and revealed a glowing red dot.  
"Ichiba!" Stitch swallowed the remote whole and charged due West, back into the jungle.  
"Uhm...are you sure that was the best idea?" Mike was did not understand why Stitch, who seemed resourceful and smart, would eat their only chance at finding Sulley. Regardless, Mike trusted that Stitch knew what he was doing and ran after him. They ran past large shady leaves and jumped over thick roots. Mike was spooked by the shadowy leaves, rustling like the harsh whispers of a nefarious plot. However, as long as he stayed close with Stitch, he managed to stay brave.  
Stitch froze and put his claw out, cuing Mike to stay still. Someone else other than the two of them was present. Present and speaking.  
Mike and Stitch were cloaked behind the long, banana leaves. Mike crept deeper through the thick bush. He peered through gap of green stems and spotted someone tall and dark.  
"Jafar," gasped Mike. He scowled and eavesdropped on Jafar's conversation with his irritated bird.  
"Why don't we just turn them all to statues?! We'll decorate them all over the lawn like victory trophies. Ah? Aaaah?"  
"BECAUSE Iago...that would require a laborious effort across the kingdom. We would not want to bring the heroes all together. We mustn't alert them. Once they learn of their fate, it will be too late." Jafar flaunted his bony hand. He conjured a transparent veil with a crimson shimmer.  
"Greetings," began Jafar.  
"To what honor do I owe the former vizier of Agrabah?" It was a woman's voice. Elegant and clever.  
"I have acquired it." Jafar reached into his pocket. His shoulder dipped and rose back up. Mike could not see what he was giving but it had to be the global core that Randall stole for him. Jafar stuck his hand into the veil and pulled it back.  
"Excellent. I trust that you've rewarded your accomplice."  
"That I did. Shame to say...he was not strong enough to wield the darkness. He would have been a wonderful asset."  
"The Heartless will suffice for now," said the woman harshly.  
"I understand that you've recruited others to our side. Shall I proceed to check on them?" asked Jafar.  
"No. Instead, why don't you find Princess Jasmine? Pete has spotted her traveling with the King's mage.  
"That oaf couldn't capture a girl, protected only by a feathered fool?" scoffed Jafar.  
"Hey!" squawked Iago.  
"Not you," snapped Jafar.  
"Then surely it should be simple for you. As simple as it is for a street rat to outsmart the vizier." The woman snickered. Jafar growled, digging his staff into the dirt.  
"Very well," answered Jafar through his clenching teeth. The veil vanished. Iago flew from Jafar's shoulder and fluttered around the forest.  
"Lemme just stretch my feathers and we can-" Iago spotted an odd shade of bright green.  
"Jafar! It's the eyeball creep!" Iago swooped back to Jafar, who turned with his flapping cape. He found Mike and fired a blast of magic from his staff. Mike dodged just in time but he approached the vizier from the jungle leaves.  
"Where's my friend?" demanded Mike, shaking his fists down low.  
"The fuzzy one? I've relocated him to a more...cozy district. He won't escape. BUT" Jafar raised his staff. "You can join him if you like." Jafar cast the petrification spell but Stitch swooped in and saved Mike.  
"Yikes! It's the alien. Get'em Jafar!" cried Iago into his ear.  
"DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!" howled Jafar. He fired a barrage of blasts at Stitch, expertly avoiding each one. He ducked, bounced, hopped, and flipped in the air with ease.  
"Enough of this!" Jafar swung his staff, summoning a wave of Heartless minions behind him.  
"Come on, Stitch! We can take'em! We got-WHAAAA!" Mike was swung from under his feet and carried off once again. He looked down at Stitch, whom Iago had called an alien. That would explain his strange language and his advanced technology in his space cruiser.  
"After them!" commanded Jafar. The Heartless horde consisted of Shadows and Bandits, two-legged creatures with desert attire and scimitars. They charged at Mike and Stitch who retreated deeper into the jungle.  
"Geez! They're all over the place!" whined Iago.  
"The rats will always have their holes to hide in. We need not submerse ourselves. Soon, this kingdom will be ours. It'll be...a whole new world." Jafar cackled. His wicked voice startled the birds and the bugs in the jungle. Iago crossed his wings and rolled his eyes.  
"Now then, let's go find Princess Jasmine," announced Jafar. "She must be exhausted from her travels."


	7. The Graveyard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the Disney Kingdom is threatened by massive forces of evil, our heroes will have to band together and protect their worlds from falling into darkness.  
> Featuring the fantasy elements of Kingdom Hearts and the storyline from Super Smash Bros. Brawl's "Subspace Emissary", enjoy a new take on an epic crossover with your favorite Disney characters from the classic films to the latest legends!

The will-o'-the-wisps had brought the spunky, red-headed girl to a realm of fog. Beyond the forests, she had traveled for days, even after she was separated from her horse. She had but a few supplies in her satchel, a sheathed sword, her loaded quiver, and her trusted bow. The fog was chilly, soothing to the pasty sweat on her freckled face. After her castle had been taken and her family's forces were defeated by heinous creatures, it was up to her to seek answers. She swatted at the fog defiantly. A single will-o'-the-wisp glowed and wiggled, beckoning her to step into the hazy abyss.   
"Ye better not be toying with me mind," snarled the princess. She tightened the scarred grip on her bow and readjusted the strap of her quiver. With a huff and a brave first step, she entered the fog. At this point in her journey, she was willing to slay any creature that stood in her way. She was unafraid to wander the wilds that tested her. She was Merida of Dunbroch.  
The squishy grass under her feet did little to upset the princess. Her green velvet dress had been stained by mud and torn by claws. Merida never cared for the pristine look. It was a recurring issue that her mother, Queen Elinor, would often criticize. As irritating as she had been long ago, Merida would gladly give anything to hear her voice again. The silly noises from her triplet brothers. The stories of her boastful father. They all conjured sweet memories. She thought of her family not in mourning but as motivation.  
Just as her patience withered away, Merida finally discovered where the will-o'-the-wisps had meant to bring her. It was a graveyard where they danced in a circle and squeaked like giggling children.  
"What am I supposed to find 'ere?" asked Merida angrily. She ambled past the tombstones, covered in dry vines and dew. It seemed like a dead end but Merida explored what she could. The engravings in each tombstone were faded; Merida tried to read them by wiping off the damp dirt. The letters were strange, some looking more like symbols or glyphs. Merida groaned and glared at the whimsical will-o'-the-wisps.  
"What am I missing? Gimme a hint, won't you?" Merida marched over to the ghostly lights that flew overhead like frightened fireflies. As they bobbled onward, they came down to what had to be another tombstone. After biting her lip, Merida sighed and trudged after them. Once she arrived, Merida realized that she had stumbled upon an enormous granite monolith, resembling one of the ancient standing stones from her homeland. The impish lights rose high, revealing the entire surface of the ten foot tall relic.   
Merida leaned in for a closer look. She scrunched her face and tried to make sense of the markings, which looked more like the pages of a storybook. Little devils gathered around a massive pumpkin until a fat monster with a floppy head and a stitched mouth hunted them all. The characters were running and fleeing, at least that's what Merida thought. The fat monster claimed a hill with a peak that dipped and curled into a spiral. Perhaps it was symbolism; Merida had never seen a hill like that in her travels. She read the story where it looked like a tall, stick-like man came to challenge the monster. There was no scene of action but Merida found an image of the monster, dissolving into a scattered mess of tiny insects. At the bottom of the monolith, the stick man held a pumpkin where he was praised by the devil-like figures. Merida pondered on who the stick man could be. His eyes and teeth reminded her too much of a skull's face. Was he in fact the hero of this ancient fable?  
Merida decided to read the other side of the monolith. It was smooth and blank. She was about to shout back at the will-o'-the-wisps for wasting her time. Her feet struck a long hard object, hidden in the dark green grass. She tumbled forward, rattling the arrows in her quiver. As she grunted and rose to her knees, Merida glanced over to her shoulder to see what tripped her. She flinched and bolted up to her feet. Her sword flashed out of its scabbard and aimed towards the ground. A lifeless skeleton slumped as if the monolith was its pillow and the grass was its bed. She peered into its hollow eye sockets. It wore a tight black suit with thin white lines. It seemed as if this man once had a particular sense of style, indicated by a petrified bat that was worn as a bow tie.   
Merida poked the skeleton with the tip of her gleaming sword. Its jaw opened, appearing to let out a terrified scream. Merida frowned and sheathed her sword. She crouched down and blew air up her forehead.  
"Ye dun seem to be busy. Maybe ye can be better 'elp than these useless sprites." Merida shook her mangy head of curly red hair and smirked. She had to find some humor with her predicament. Shrill cries caught Merida's attention. Behind her, the will-o'-the wisps spun madly in circles.  
"Dun be such babies! I'm not the one who wanted to go strollin' into some graveyard!" scolded Merida. Two new lights shined from the fog and hovered close together. Unlike the others in pale blue, these twin lights were bright yellow. Slowly, they crept closer. When Merida noticed that the other blue wisps fled and faded away, she pulled an arrow from behind and expertly aimed with her bow. The string was pulled back tightly. One eye closed. One eye on its target.   
"What are ye?" asked Merida under her breath. The creature studied her with its pulsing yellow eyes. It slowly left the fog and revealed its demonic form. Its purple body floated with flimsy bat wings. Its cuffed claws and thick legs made it look like some kind of ghoulish jester. What horrified Merida most was its head, severed by the top half of its jaw. Both halves were somehow tethered to stay close together, opening and closing with no hinge. The creature flung its head back with the top half hanging in between its wings. A hideous heart-shaped symbol appeared brightly on its chest. It was outlined in blood red, with a zigzagging "X" marking on the center. Merida immediately recognized the symbol from the night when her castle was besieged. The monsters had slipped through the shadows and attacked the farmers, merchants, and servants. It was a nasty blur of screaming, blazing hay, trembling castle walls. Merida let out a savage cry when she released the arrow, flying fast like a sharp whistle. The floating monster was struck and fell to the ground. Its claws twitched like the tiny legs of a crushed cockroach.   
Six more sets of glowing eyes surrounded Merida and the monolith. She yanked the arrow from the creature's chest, causing its entire body to shrivel into clumps of pitch black smoke. From one target to the next, the arrow was back in between the bow and the string. Merida waited to determine which of the six targets she would hit first. One swooped in like a bird of prey. Merida dipped into a somersault while still holding tightly to her bow and arrow. She fired and took it down. Three more came after her. Merida smacked her thick wooden bow against two of the monsters and shot another arrow into the third. While the clumsy two creatures scratched each other, Merida plunged her sword through them both. She had the grin of a proud huntress. The remaining two opened their jaws widely and spat fireballs at Merida. After dodging them, she spotted them preparing to unleash the same fiery attack. She loaded her bow and brought down the one on her left. The last winged creature on her right floated higher and coughed a burning ball. Merida twirled away where it slammed against the monolith. She had her next arrow ready to impale its body. Her back was pressed against the engraved symbols. She looked up, down, side to side, and forward. Nowhere to be found. Merida would not underestimate the same sneaky creatures who hide in the fog and move in the shadows. She spun back around the monolith and searched for her last kill. It was gone. She could only see grass, tombstones, and fog. Merida tried not to panic. She listened to whatever sound or clue would help her.   
KR-KR-KR! Bones clicked against each other. Merida was alarmed but confused.  
KRSSSSH! A puff of blistering heat rushed to her face. Merida ducked. She then looked up and found the last creature staring down at her. It flapped its wings and gagged, increasing the size of his blazing breath. Merida fidgeted to fix her aim. She could not find the right spot to take it out with one shot. Its raspy mouth inhaled, seconds from attacking.  
FWWWIP!  
Something thin and black had reached for the winged creature and pulled it away. It was tossed around and around, forming a burning circle. Then, the hidden figure slammed the creature into the wet grass. The fire was doused. Two long arms, like the legs of a spider reached out and ripped the creature in half. Merida watched its body dissolve in a mixed state of awe and horror. One long shadowy pole stepped in front of her, followed by another. They bent low allowing the figure to reveal his face.  
"Why hello, young lady!"  
It was the skeleton. It moved. It spoke. It saw her.  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAH!" screamed Merida. She sealed her eyes shut and drew out her sword. She thrusted it through what had to be fabric. All she could hear were more bones clicking. No one was grabbing her or trying to hurt her. She tried to be calm and figure out what was happening. She cracked one timid eye open. A tall figure had folded his limbs to be close to her height. The tip of her sword was still piercing his suit. Her view went up to the beaming grin on his skull.  
"No need to worry," said the skeleton man.  
Merida hissed at him. It did not how matter how charming he spoke or how much of a dapper gentlemen he appeared to be. If something is dead, then it should stay dead, buried in the ground or burned at a pyre. It was just too weird and unnatural to accept. Then again, she had been following a trail of ghostly lights that she did not trust completely. Furthermore, she had firsthand experience with a witch's spell that transformed her mother into a black bear. After losing her castle to horrible monsters, Merida loathed these supernatural encounters. She pulled back her sword but kept a firm grip in case he was the deceptive type.  
"It appears I'm too good at what I do best. A blessing and a curse, tis the perfect tragedy," said the skeleton man, flaunting his bony wrist away from his body. Merida was perplexed by his poetic tone. It helped to combat the fear and tension in her shoulders.  
"A curse? Is that what made ye like this?" asked Merida.  
"She speaks? Aha! Most delightful!" The skeleton man crossed his long arms over his chest. He shrunk his eye sockets as if closing his eye lids. He flashed another bright, toothy smile.   
"Huh?"  
"Allow me to make a proper introduction. I am Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town!" boasted Jack, springing to his full height. He spread out his arms, as if waiting for applause. Merida gaped at him, acting strangely euphoric for a dead man.  
"Allo-WEEN...Town?" repeated Merida slowly.  
"Oh ho ho! Your accent is so adorable. But yes. We used to celebrate a most horrifying, ghoulish, spine-tingling, and nightmarish holiday...Halloween! I was the master of monstrosity, the tyrant of terror, and the frontman of fright! We would wait and prepare all year for the festivities. It was all in good fun, I promise you. Not a mean spirit in our haunting home!"  
"Then is this place...where you live?" Merida thought that it would not be too odd to expect a talking skeleton to reside in a spooky graveyard.  
"Why no! In fact, we're rather...far...from my home," The joy in the skeleton's voice vanished so suddenly. He rested his melancholy skull into his hand. "You see...it all started when one odious fellow went too far. His name was Oogie Boogie. He kidnapped our kind for his meals. I put a stop to his nefarious games and banished him. We believed we were truly rid of him...that is, until Oogie returned. Our town was attacked by these hordes of awful monsters. They came not to celebrate but to bring harm and chaos. We tried to fight back but there were too many of them. They preyed on their victims and stole their hearts."  
"Stole hearts?" asked Merida.  
"Well yes. That is what the Heartless do. You can see their symbol on their chest. Most have it. Then you have the Shadows. Tiny little imps...all black but with yellow eyes. I thought they were cute but they're cruel." Jack's description alarmed Merida. Her mind raced back in time to when the Shadows invaded her home and brought a cavalry of creatures with knight's helmets and the Heartless symbol, black with red lines.  
"So that's what they're called? Those nasty little beasties!" Merida fiercely drove her sword into the grass. Jack gasped. He could see the trauma in Merida's heaving breaths.  
"Then you too have crossed their path?" asked Jack.  
"They attacked me people. They attacked me family. Are ye saying that they...lost their hearts too?!" barked Merida, twisting the hilt to drill the sword even deeper into the dirt.  
"That's what I was told. We had a brilliant scientist back in Halloween Town. Doctor Finkelstein. I came to him when the Heartless first appeared. He had this book that told the tales of the Heartless, creatures from another world. They hunt for the magic that lies in our hearts. But there's never an end to their hunger. Once a home is overtaken by the Heartless, it falls into darkness and takes everyone into it.  
"They're vermin, that's what," growled Merida. "But if you say they're from another world, how did they get 'ere?"  
"That's what I set to find out!" Jack swung his fist over his chest with pride. "You see, I have a theory about how the Heartless arrived here, uninvited. Someone or something opened a door between their world and ours." He used both hands to emphasize his idea. "Now, I know all about convenient, safe doorways that can allow a person to travel to a faraway place in a moment. Like from my town to your castle, for example. But the Heartless are using another door, a very special door. It's powerful enough to bridge dimensions. Do you understand?"  
"I guess so," Merida hesitated to give a confident answer. She knew of the spirit world from ancient lore, which is where the will-o'-the-wisps came from. "So...to stop the Heartless...we have to find the door...and close it?"  
"Seal it! Lock it! Stick a thread into a needle and stitch it tight!" confirmed Jack with a jolt of righteousness, surging through his bones.   
"Then what are ye doing 'ere? Is this where the door is supposed to be?" Merida searched frantically, swinging her tangled red hair like vines.  
"I regret to say no. I escaped from Oogie and his Heartless minions just before they took over Halloween Town. I was able to take the book that should have the answers. There is still so much to read." Jack reached into his suit and pulled out a thick tome with ripped edges and a flimsy spine. On what Merida guessed to be the cover, the book had a large faded print of a heart-shaped symbol. Jack slipped the book back inside his rib cage and tidied his suit.  
"Oh and...sorry about ruining yer clothes," said Merida sheepishly.  
"It's quite alright, my dear. I live to be scary but it can backfire sometimes. I wandered for days until I found these little blue flames."  
"The will-o'-the-wisps?"  
"That's a darling name to call them! Yes, yes! It has a musical ring to it, no? The will-o'-the-wisps brought me here to this monument." Jack gestured to the monolith. "If I only I could give credit to the artist who wished to honor me. I remember feeling very...sleepy."  
Merida crouched to inspect the grass where she found Jack earlier. She picked up crumbled petals of what she knew to be deadly night shade.  
"That explains it!" exclaimed Jack. "Do be careful. It could put you into a slumber."  
"It's fine," Merida reached under her neckline and pulled out a flat, bear-shaped pendant. "Me mother gave this to me. It protects me from magical maladies."   
"How handy!" praised Jack. "And so then, the next thing I knew, I woke up and you were fighting the Heartless. You were truly marvelous! I was going to let you handle them but then that one beast nearly torched your fiery red locks. It was not my intention to steal the spotlight. I do apologize."  
"No, no. You were fine. I actually...should be thanking ye, Mr. Skellington."  
"You're too kind. You can just call me Jack. But I lack the honor of addressing you m'lady." Jack swiftly dropped into a courteous bow. Merida giggled and gave a slight curtsy. Her mother would have been pleased.  
"I am Merida of Dunbroch," answered Merida, affirming honor in her tone.  
"Oh, Merida, the beautiful and brave! Would you do me the honor of joining me in my noble quest to stop the Heartless?" Jack knelt and reached out his bony hand. "I understand what it is like to be the last hope for the ones you love. I will not rest until we save both of our homes."  
Merida sensed a knightly presence within Jack Skellington. He was more than just a skeleton who could walk or talk. He did save her and offered answers that she had desperately searched for. If Jack wanted to harm her, there was nothing to stop him. Merida had already figured out that she could not easily kill him because of what he was. She thought about what her family would do. Her father might have bashed the bones out of Jack; her mother would be frightfully cautious and spew harsh words. It was totally up to Merida. She believed it would be wise to travel with someone else who shared the same goal and could also fight on his own.   
"I'll take ye offer, Jack." Merida shook his hand, coarse and cold. It was unlike Jack's personality. He shouted with glee and shot his spindly arms in triumph. "But where do we go now?"  
"Let's ask our friends!" Jack whistled, summoning the will-o'-the-wisps from the fog. They chirped and bounced over to Jack where they spun around his body.  
"They're like wee puppies to their masters," teased Merida. Jack chuckled.  
"Now, now. We have an important mission," asserted Jack to the will-o'-the-wisps. They backed off and hovered calmly. "Take us to the door! Let's find their stronghold and slay the Heartless. For the good of Halloween Town, Dunbroch, and other lands!" As Jack pointed emphatically, the will-o'-the-wisps sunk low and formed a trail. Merida expected him to run off in a jolly sprint. Instead, he looked down and waited for Merida to join him. Together, they followed the glowing ghosts. Together, they left the graveyard and its eerie fog.


	8. The Swarm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the Disney Kingdom is threatened by massive forces of evil, our heroes will have to band together and protect their worlds from falling into darkness.  
> Featuring the fantasy elements of Kingdom Hearts and the storyline from Super Smash Bros. Brawl's "Subspace Emissary", enjoy a new take on an epic crossover with your favorite Disney characters from the classic films to the latest legends!

Time seemed to be excuse itself from Merida's world. She cared not for the hours that passed while traveling with Jack Skellington. He had entertained her with thrilling tales of his time as the master of nightmares in Halloween Town from mixing putrid potions to planning the choreography for a cadaver recital.  
Once they entered an evergreen forest, Jack twirled out of sheer joy. He was reminded of a most marvelous night, when he flew around the world and delivered ghoulish presents to children. While his stories were almost hard to believe, Merida enjoyed the vivid imagery.  
Jack curiously and impulsively changed the subject to Merida's homeland. She could see the eagerness on his face. And so, she told him about the grassy hills of Dunbroch. She rambled about her culture as best as she could describe it. From haggis to bagpipes, from kilts to castles of stone, Jack was deeply fascinated. He expressed his ardent desire to dress in a tartan outfit and reenact sword fights as an actor. Merida hinted that her family would rather have her invite a wild bear than a skeleton who could talk. Jack insisted however that he could charm any person, alive or dead. Merida snickered and accepted his challenge.  
Together, Merida and Jack discovered an abandoned school. An omnious wind howled through the shattered windows. The will-o'-the-wisps gathered at the entrance trail and disappeared. Merida reached for her bow and tried to listen for any suspicious sounds.  
"Eureka! The Heartless door must be close," exclaimed Jack, raising an emphatic finger.  
"Does yer book mention anything important? Let's have a look," said Merida. Jack pulled out the book from his rib cage and gave it to her. She flipped through the pages and discovered several drawings of yellow-eyed monsters. Most of them bore the Heartless symbol on their body. She likened them to cursed animals, demonic soldiers, or possessed household items. As for finding an answer for their current predicament, Merida did not know where to start.  
She flicked her chin upward when she heard the patter of feet and claws from the school. Merida and Jack exchanged suspicious looks. They both heard the same sounds. Merida placed the book into her satchel and nodded to Jack. When he nodded back, they both walked together and headed to the school.  
They approached the crooked front doors. Merida pulled them apart, causing them to scrape the concrete step. She stopped, hoping not to cause too much noise. Instead, she slipped through the gap and Jack followed her. Crumbled paper and dead leaves littered the hallway.   
Because Jack was much too tall, he had to lower his head and fold his limbs. Merida led the way, creeping past the rusty lockers. She looked to Jack and jerked her head towards the first classroom on his left. She checked each room on her right. Desks and chairs were either smashed, flipped over, or both. As they reached the middle of the hallway, a powerful stench seized Merida nostrils.  
"Oy!" Merida tried to hold in her disgust.  
"What is that odd aroma?" Jack sniffed. "It would make for a wonderful soup."  
"It smells like a heap of horse pies." Merida coughed into her arm.   
"It has got to be in this cafeteria." Jack peered into the large room ahead and nodded.  
"A what?"  
"Where teachers and students gather to dine or socialize," explained Jack.  
"Ah. We just call that an eatin' room." Merida shrugged. She turned around and inhaled as much clean air as she could. She then followed Jack into the cafeteria. It had a filthy white floor, covered in discarded food and wrapping. Jack followed the smell and stretched his arm into the kitchen corner.  
"Aha!" said Jack. Merida heard a metal clatter.  
"Be careful, Jack!"  
"I found the pot with the rotten food. I closed it to make it better for you."  
"Thanks. But if the doorway is supposed to be 'ere, then where exactly do we need to go?" Merida wandered the spacious cafeteria. Jack snooped behind the counter and explored every nook and cranny. He rose to look inside the kitchen cupboards. Only cobwebs or cans with faded labels.  
The setting sun cast its light through the dusty window panes, near the ceiling. Merida shielded her eyes. She could not see her shadow grow tall behind her. It turned thin and long. The head and hair split into two zig-zaggy antennas. It peeled its own body off the floor. The slender shadow came to life and silently approached Merida. Its arm curled back, ready to swing its claws.  
"Behind you!" warned Jack. Merida gasped. There was no time to think. She flashed her sword and swung in a full, spinning circle. The shadow had dipped back to the floor. Flatter than paper, it dashed to another open spot of the cafeteria. Merida watched it rise to its feet. Other shadowy creatures emerged from underneath the tables and joined its comrade.  
"Looks like we've got a whole batch of beasties to fight, Jack." Merida gripped the hilt of her sword and studied the movements of all the swarming Heartless.   
Jack let out a sinister scream, scaring the Heartless away from Merida. This proved to be tactical, giving Jack time to leap over to his royal ally. He crouched low, ready to pounce with a skeleton man's strike.  
"En garde, your highness!" cried Jack. He stood back to back with Merida. They focused their attention on the returning shadows. Merida recalled these forms of Heartless from Jack's book; they were Neoshadows, highly evolved forms of the imps that attacked her castle. She had to keep calm and aim true.  
Both Merida and Jack lunged towards their own half of monsters to slay. Merida swung her sword at the closest Neoshadow while Jack came at them with jabs and dancing kicks. Merida growled every time she missed. She countered one attack but the Neoshadows would flatten themselves and retreat. Merida's blade could barely leave a scratch if they were beneath her. She knew she had to hit them while they were standing or in midair. Behind her frazzled clump of red hair, a Neoshadow jumped and spun its whole body, slamming into Merida. She fumbled to her knees and dropped her sword. She fiercely turned back to face her foe with an arrow in her bow.   
TWING! It flew sharp and straight but the Neoshadow ducked and slithered back on the floor. Merida stomped her foot and groaned. Meanwhile, Jack could reach the Neoshadows but they clung onto him and pulled him down. He tried to slam them into each other but the damage was minimal. They shook their bodies and surrounded him yet again.  
"I can't reach'em!" exclaimed Merida.  
"Perhaps we should switch up our style. It takes two to tango after all," said Jack with a smirk.  
"What do ye have in mind, Jack?"  
"Have you got enough arrows for each one?"   
"Aye!" confirmed Merida.  
"Then it's all up to your aim. Here!" Jack used his long arm to snag the single antennae of one Neoshadow and tossed it like a dirty rag. Merida watched it squirm in midair. A cocky grin took over. She fired an arrow into its head. Once it fell, it faded like smoke. Jack let out a hearty laugh and snatched for another enemy. He and Merida repeated this pattern, slaying each Neoshadow. Only one remained. Merida retrieved her sword, climbed to the top of the table and slashed the Neoshadow before it could touch the floor.   
As a friendly gesture, Jack raised his thumb to Merida who heaved deeply and laughed. Together, they exited the school through its back doors and stumbled upon a desolate playground.   
A disturbing kind of solace took residence in a small plastic replica of a castle. Jack guessed it was some kind of playhouse for children. Merida went over to the dangling swings and then walked under the brittle, climbing bars. The slides lost their color; its paint had already begun to peel. She searched for anything beyond the playground. Nothing but dead grass.   
Merida spotted what looked like a hooded child, sitting on a giant play wheel. It was a kind of meager carousel for spinning on its flat side.   
"Hey!" Merida called out to the child. There was no response.  
"What is it, Merida?" asked Jack. He watched Merida, rushing to the child who had lowered his head. She swung around him and knelt to see his face. She gasped. The child lopped over its limp body. It was not a person but a doll with a painted face.  
Suddenly, gears were grinding tightly. Merida was unsure of what it was supposed to be but it came from the center of the wheel. Jack hurried and yanked Merida away.  
FW-SHING! By means of a spring trap, the giant wheel snapped in half, crushing the metal handles and the doll.   
"I recognize this kind of machinery," revealed Jack, coldly. Merida picked herself up. She did not understand Jack's comment.  
BWWSH! The back doors of the school burst wide open. A gargantuan burlap sack waddled outside. Its four corners were pinched and stretched into arms and legs. Somehow, it possessed a fifth corner with a three black spots; two for glaring eyes and one for a large mouth.  
"So here I find you! The Pumpkin King himself! And some little girl. At least you managed to save someone." Oogie cackled with a deep throaty voice. He puffed his pudgy belly and sneered.  
"How dare you!" shouted Jack. Merida could sense the anger, burning from his chest.  
"I'm only in this because of you, Jack! You humiliated me. I found some real friends. They gave me an army of Heartless. All they wanted me to do was sick the Heartless on Halloween Town. Two crows. One Stone. All sweet revenge!" bragged Oogie.  
"Enough! You will pay for putting my friends in danger. So out with it! Where...is...the door?" asked Jack, restraining his outrage as best as he could.   
"The door?" Oogie pretended to ponder. He spat a long centipede from his mouth like a child blowing his tongue. "Can't say I know what you're talking about."  
Merida wanted to clear the fiendish smile off Oogie's face. She fired an arrow. Its sharp tip ripped and scarred Oogie's burlap cheek.  
"Don't lie! Tell us where we can find the door that the Heartless use!" demanded Merida.  
Oogie covered the rip with his arm and scowled at Merida.  
"Don't disrespect me, you pesky brat! Oh Heartless!" called Oogie. A moment of chilly silence lingered.   
FWWSHSHSH! Even Oogie gasped when a horde of countless, capsule-shaped monsters burst through the windows of the school. They gathered around Oogie and hovered in midair with buzzing propellers. Merida thought of them as some kind of bee-Heartless.  
"Get the girl! I'll deal with 'ol Jack," commanded Oogie. They all darted forward and flew gregariously towards Merida. Jack tried to block the oncoming attack but the Heartless parted their numbers away from him.  
"I trained them real good, Jack." Oogie laughed maniacally. He took great pleasure in watching Merida trying to outrun his Heartless forces. She swung her sword to block against them, divebombing like missiles. Jack knew that they only appeared and moved according to Oogie's orders. Jack sprinted over to him and pulled him by the folds of his fat neck.  
"Who are you working for?!" shouted Jack.  
Oogie giggled and coughed a batch of bugs into Jack's face. Jack let go and tried to swat them away. Ooogie bumped him away with his thick belly.  
"The bad boys who felt sorry for poor little Mr. Oogie Boogie." Oogie puckered his lips, feigning sadness. He reached into his mouth and gagged. Jack stood back as Oogie pulled out an ornate pistol. The barrel was crafted into the muzzle of a hound with razor sharp teeth.  
"They gave me an early Christmas present too! No receipt needed!" Oogie slipped the tip of his arm around the trigger and aimed for Jack.   
BZZZT! A beam of burning red light flew like a laser. Jack twirled away and dodged it.  
"Hold still. It'll only tickle." Oogie squeezed the trigger again, only to miss. He growled and fired repeatedly.   
BZZZT! BZZZT! BZZZT! BZZZT! BZZZT!  
Jack bounced, ducked, rolled, flipped, and danced away from each of Oogie's blast attacks.  
"Your aim is atrocious!" scolded Jack. Oogie cried in frustration. Jack was ready to lunge and pull the pistol away. Merida cried out from the bombardment of buzzing Heartless. When Jack turned back, just for a moment, Oogie saw this. He knew what to do.  
"You're noble, Jack. I'll give you that. Never my style. But I know how to get people like you." Oogie switched targets. His pistol was pointed towards Merida, still stuck in the same spot. She continued to slash her sword to deflect the Heartless. She had no idea about what Oogie was planning.  
"Merida! You must move!" hollered Jack. Merida heard him but could not get away. She was surrounded, engulfed in a storm of Heartless. All she could do was hide behind her sword. Jack knew this was not good enough. He had to do something. She still needed to save her home and her family. He had hope for her.  
Jack leaped like a frog with his long, springy legs. He landed right in between Merida and Oogie's pistol. He started straight into the blinding red glow.  
BZZZT!  
Merida cried of shock. She dropped her sword and covered her mouth. All the noises of the world, the wailing wind, Oogie's cackling, and the buzzing Heartless morphed into a dull sound, numbing her ears   
Her ally and friend, Jack Skellington, stood before her as a coarse, stone statue. This was unlike a motionless corpse that she had assumed him to be from the graveyard. He was cursed. Imprisoned. Defeated. At the very least, he was petrified with a brave look in his hollow eye sockets.  
"Jack..." said Merida weakly.  
Oogie snapped Merida out of her mind with a roar of laughter. The Heartless backed away, hovering and waiting for their next command.  
"Nice guys really do finish last," taunted Oogie. He slowly flopped his fat body over to Merida. She reached for an arrow but flinched when Oogie shook his pistol at her.  
"Ha-HA! What a day this has been! I must just bust a seam if I don't stop laughing." Oogie lowered the pistol and gobbled it back up. "I got what I came for. My little trophy. I don't need you. Scram, I say! Or do you want a taste of the Oogie-Boogie-man?"  
As Merida tried to raise her bow, the bee-Heartless returned to close in on her.  
"Come back when you've made some new friends. I'll have my buzzing buddies show you out!" Oogie swung his arm, cuing the Heartless to attack Merida. She swung away at the few in front of her to clear her escape. She ran as fast as she could. The swarm of Heartless continued to chase her. Oogie remained at the playground where he fiddled with the doll from his wheel trap.   
"My stomach is getting a bit rumbly but all the best meals come in good time. Eh, Jack?" Oogie smacked Jack Skellington's stone face and snickered. He continued to amuse himself with Merida, running in the distance. According to his shady eyes, she found refuge inside a remote shack. With a sinister grin, Oogie threw the doll into his mouth. As he munched with his burlap lips, the sky began to thunder and shoot lightning across the gray clouds.   
Meanwhile, Merida could hear the passing storm. The flimsy wooden roof seeped with rain. Merida sat in a tight, dry corner. All she could do was bury her face into her crossed arms and agonize over her failures. The wicked weather hammered the sky with no mercy. It lasted for a miserably long time.


	9. The Companion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the Disney Kingdom is threatened by massive forces of evil, our heroes will have to band together and protect their worlds from falling into darkness.  
> Featuring the fantasy elements of Kingdom Hearts and the storyline from Super Smash Bros. Brawl's "Subspace Emissary", enjoy a new take on an epic crossover with your favorite Disney characters from the classic films to the latest legends!

Merida had never felt so alone in her life. Her aching heart clung to regret. Her growling stomach begged for food. Her hand dove into her satchel and tapped only Jack's book and a soggy loaf. There was not an edible morsel in the shack. She was surrounded by broken shelves, empty jars, and scraps of parchment.  
DUN-DUN!  
A pounding knock at the door. Merida let out a whimper. She slapped her mouth shut and feared that someone had heard her.  
"It is okay. I will not harm you." It was an oddly calm voice with a strange accent. There was no flow, rhythm, or personality to his speech. As far as Merida knew, it was not human.  
Merida adamantly remained in her corner. She hoped that whoever or whatever was outside would leave. She was too exhausted to put up a fight. Exhausted and hungry.  
"You are hungry...and scared," stated the voice. "I will not enter if you do not want me to. If you do, I will see to your injuries and give you food."  
Merida widened her eyes in trepidation. How could this person know how she was actually feeling? Was it a mystic or a witch? Maybe it used a spell to track her inside the shack.  
"You are also distressed," continued the voice. "I will comfort you and provide therapeutic counsel if you like. You may come out when you are ready."  
Merida went from terrified to bemused. She had absolutely no idea what the voice was offering. What she did understand was that it was persistent yet steady. Not once did it break down the door. Given the strength of its knocking and the brittle structure of the shack, Merida could very well be demolished. Her fate lay completely in someone else's hands.  
Merida had to know more. She lunged to the cold, dusty floor and crawled out of her corner. She peered through the broken wooden panels. She gripped her chest and sealed her shrieking cry. It was a bulky knight, clad in bright crimson armor. Its lower torso was purple as were the spots on its shoulders and elbows. She squinted at what appeared to be folded wings. A terrifying thought flickered in her head. Could it be a Heartless?  
The crimson knight turned its head with a grinding noise. Right as it glanced at Merida, she scurried away.  
"I wish to help you...but I understand if you are scared. I will wait until you are ready," said the knight. It stood frozen, seemingly out of chivalry. As Merida waited, it did not make a sound. Perhaps it was not with the enemy but a fellow victim. Merida wanted to trust it but she had her doubts. Still, since it knew where she was hiding, Merida decided to finally reply.  
"You wanna help me? What are ye? Some kind of angel?" joked Merida, nervously breathing between her words.  
"I am not an angel. I am a robot," revealed the knight.  
"A robot? What's that supposed to be?" Merida scrunched her face. She had definitely never heard of such a title.  
"A robot. There are three definitions. The most appropriate is 'a machine that resembles a human and does mechanical, routine tasks on command'. My primary function is to assess the needs of my patients who are injured or sick until they are satisfied with their care," said the robot.  
"Uh huh...so are ye a kind of armored nurse or somethin'?" Merida tried to rationalize what little she understood from the robot.  
"A nurse would be an adequate comparison." There was a pause after the robot's answer. It turned its head back towards the front door. "Are you now ready to come out?"  
Merida had tested the robot long enough. As she rose to her staggering feet, Merida accepted that she could very well be walking into a devious trap. She might as well get on with it. She slowly approached the door, which was only a simple piece of wood that separated her from a suspicious figure. She hefted her satchel, hanging opposite of her quiver. With a deep breath, she thought about Jack Skellington, who left a bizarre yet bewitching impression. It was his personality that earned her trust. But the robot had no character except what seemed to be good intentions. She took a chance. She opened the door.  
His hulking frame eclipsed whatever light lingered in the sky. Merida gulped and stepped outside. She tried to tame her shuddering breath with a royal glare, the kind her mother would use as queen. The robot had two solid black eyes, connected by a single black line. They were not black as a cold, sinister night. Rather, they were like harmless dots.  
"Good," said the robot. Merida felt a shivering tingle down her spine. "I am Baymax. Your personal health care companion. Please nourish yourself with this." The robot lowered one hand and pushed out a fresh, scarlet apple from its panel-like palm. Merida reached out to take its offering. She took her time and watched Baymax's other arm. She snatched the apple and chomped a juicy bite. Her teeth quickly pounded the fruit into mush. She scarfed every edible inch of the apple and tossed its core.  
"I will scan you for further data." Baymax bobbed its head quickly, down and up. "Scan complete."  
"Scan? What's that?" asked Merida.  
"To confirm my earlier assessment. You are distressed...injured...and dirty. I can take proper care of your needs...if you will allow me to escort you to a more...sanitary location."  
"You want me to go with you?" Merida sidestepped around Baymax. Maybe there was some kind of wicked plot after all.  
"I can treat you here...if you prefer. However...given the environment...and lack of supplies, I believe I can provide...better quality...elsewhere."  
Merida tried to think of anything other than her weakened body. She mustered whatever strength remained and walked away. Slow but stomping footsteps followed her.  
"I'd like to be left alone now," said Merida.  
"I cannot deactivate until you say you are satisfied with your care," replied Baymax.  
She took one soft step forward under her dress. Baymax proceeded to take one heavy step after her.  
"Fiiine. I am satisfied with me care. Now will ya go?" asked Merida, shrill and irritated.  
Baymax tilted its head as if processing her answer.  
"My sensors indicate...that you are...not telling the truth. You are tired...injured...have a risk of infection...and distressed."  
"I'm not distressed!" cried Merida in a harsh tone. It became increasingly difficult to stay dignified and calm.  
"It is normal to feel...defensive," said Baymax.  
"I don know who ya are or where ya from, but don go acting like you know what I'm feeling! You don know anything!" Merida immediately seized her sword by the hilt. She scowled, turning her face as bright red as Baymax's armor.  
"I know that you show signs of loss...pain...and guilt." Baymax's smooth words ignited a rage within the perturbed princess. Merida yelled as she charged with her sword. Her repeated attacks had no effect on his armor. Baymax stood still, waiting for her to finish. Merida panted and growled furiously. She stared at the polished surface of Baymax's unscathed armor. It was just another reminder that no matter how hard she tried, she could not do anything right.  
Merida plunged her sword into ground. Her heart sunk in despair. She weakly held onto the hilt and fell to her knees. She sobbed and hid in her face under the veil of curly red hair. Tears ran down her dirty cheeks. The flow of emotions and pain came fast and hard. Her guard was down. She was helpless to whatever distrustful deed Baymax may want to inflict on her.  
CLICK! Tiny jets of air spurted in front of Merida. She looked up and watched the plates and pieces of Baymax's armor loosen and fall. His mighty fists and chest guard pummeled the dirt. Merida was struck by how this robot-nurse was shedding its defenses. She parted the dangling strands of red hair and saw Baymax in a new form. It was white and pudgy. Still tall but much less threatening. Its pure face lacked a mouth but its serene eyes blinked at her. Baymax approached Merida and embraced her in his marshmallowy arms.  
"There, there," Baymax's voice turned low and sweet. He emitted a cozy, comforting warmth from its skin. Merida sniffled and sighed. She eased the tension in her shoulders and leaned in for a tighter hug.  
"Yer too sweet. What are ye even doing out 'ere?" asked Merida, wiping the snot and tears on her sleeve.  
"I was sent by my primary patient...Hiro Hamada...to look for other...patients in need."  
"Oh? How many have ye found so far?" asked Merida.  
"Only you. People have started to...disappear. So have their homes."  
"Homes...disappearing? Wait," Merida forced herself to shrug out of Baymax's blissful embrace. "Did ye see any Heartless? Wee devils of darkness. They attacked me home...and other places too."  
"I do not understand the term...Heartless. But there have been...strange phenomena and sightings of...unusual creatures. They pose a great danger to people. Hiro and I are working to remove them."  
"I wanna make sure we are talking about the same monsters. Did they look creepy and dark? Did-did they have a Heartless symbol? It looks like a black heart with red," recalled Merida.  
"The creatures did have a symbol...similar to what you described."  
"So then it must be the Heartless. I can help ye stop them. Take me to this Hiro Hama-wada fellow. I'll tell ye both what I know."  
"That would be ideal. I can also take proper care of your health needs." Baymax straightened his posture. Somehow, the pieces of crimson metal flung off the ground and reassembled the full armor onto Baymax's body. He withrew his chubby gut, equipping the confined chest guard into place. A series of clicks sealed the armor back into his knightly form.  
Baymax folded his arm and activated an automatic light.  
"What are ye doing now?" asked Merida.  
"I have contacted Hiro. I am sure he will be pleased to meet you. He's working on gathering data on the creatures that you call the Heartless," explained Baymax.  
"Then he sounds like someone we can trust," inferred Merida.  
"We can trust Hiro. He is a good boy," claimed Baymax with the slightest bit of pride.  
"Boy. He's a child?" asked Merida in disbelief.  
"And you're a teenager. And I'm a robot," stated Baymax.  
"I still dun understand what a robot is but I'll accept ya for what ya are." Merida gave a content smile.  
"Does that mean that you now trust me?" asked Baymax.  
Merida was struck by Baymax's question. She looked up to him and instantly remembered her decision to trust a tall skeleton man. A series of frightening faces and curious characters would never end her journey to save her family. After meeting Jack and losing him, she wanted to save him too. She patted her satchel, holding Jack's book on the Heartless. She carried what could be the key to eliminating the Heartless across the many kingdoms. In order to achieve anything, allies would be needed. Merida left her thoughts at stared Baymax's face, patient and placid.  
"Ya. I reckon I'll trust ya. So how long will it take to walk to this friend of yers?" inquired Merida.  
"We will not walk. We will...fly," said Baymax firmly.  
"Fly?" Merida lifted her eyebrows. Baymax turned around and flapped out his metal wings.  
"Please climb onto my back and hold on tight. We should arrive in approximately four minutes."  
"Yer that fast, eh? I wonder if you'd beat my horse, Angus." Merida reclaimed her spunky charm. She lifted her feet, one at a time, onto the small black pads on Baymax's waist. She grabbed the handles on his shoulders.  
PWWWWSH! Gushing flames burst from under Baymax's feet. They lifted him and Merida upward, rocketing past the trees. The wind blasted Merida's face. She cried out loud and reveled in the thrill of the ride. They hovered in midair, far from the shack.  
"Your heart rate is increasing," said Baymax.  
"Is that a...good thing?" asked Merida cautiously.  
"Yes. Your distress levels are lowering. You are feeling...excited."  
"I guess I am." Merida chuckled.  
"Do not loosen your hold. We will be flying much faster now."  
"Faster?"  
PWWWWSH! Baymax leaned forward and zoomed. Merida tightened her shoulders and clawed her fingers over the handles. They soared over the winding dirt trail. Merida thrived in the wondrous winds, rushing past her face and wild hair. She admired the vast view of the Eastern mountains and the Western forests. She dared not look back and risk spotting the school where she had encountered Oogie Boogie. She had lost Jack Skellington thanks to that sinister sack of bugs. It was up to her to save her bony friend. By working with Baymax and this person named Hiro, she believed she still had hope. She was glad to not be in this mission to stop the Heartless on her own.


	10. The Genius

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the Disney Kingdom is threatened by massive forces of evil, our heroes will have to band together and protect their worlds from falling into darkness.  
> Featuring the fantasy elements of Kingdom Hearts and the storyline from Super Smash Bros. Brawl's "Subspace Emissary", enjoy a new take on an epic crossover with your favorite Disney characters from the classic films to the latest legends

Merida wondered if Baymax might have exaggerated about Hiro Hamada. If he turned out to be the wild and bratty type of child, then her experience with her triplet brothers would serve her well. She missed those days when she could bribe them with pastries to play pranks on the handmaiden or distract her mother. Sighing, Merida escaped her thoughts and looked over her flying companion.  
The lush forests and grassy hills were long gone. Even the tiniest trees turned scarce across a desolate, dry land. Just ahead, Merida spotted a remote city, where faded purple, mixed with filthy streaks of brown, cloaked the sky. Baymax maintained a straight path, zooming towards their destination. Merida could handle the ghostly breezes that would creep through the pine trees of her homeland; and yet, there was something sinister about the wailing winds that haunted the barren buildings. Her stomach bubbled uneasily. Baymax softly reminded Merida to breathe in and out slowly. She heeded his tip and appreciated his ability to detect her nausea.  
Their smooth descent brought them to a cube-like warehouse, nestled in between two buildings that appeared to have been ransacked. Broken windows and scorch marks covered their brick walls.  
Upon setting her feet to the ground, Merida searched without straying too far from Baymax. The city remained as hollow as the school that she and Jack Skellington had explored. Was this place also plagued by a visit from the Heartless?  
Merida turned her eyes back to Baymax, approaching the brittle doors to the warehouse.   
"Hiro is over here. Do not be afraid. It is safe inside." Baymax approached the brittle doors of the warehouse and pushed one door forward.  
"Right," muttered Merida. She resumed her earlier suspicions. How was a child going to help her? Could he fight? Did he have any useful information on the Heartless? Whatever the answers were, Merida figured they were going to be as strange as everything else she had witnessed so far in her journey. She joined Baymax and entered the warehouse.  
Greeting the princess and the robot was an enormous contraption. Merida could not figure out where to start with this mechanical mess. Her overwhelmed eyes flickered from the broken beams of steel to the leathery belt that zigzagged towards the ground where it wrapped around a large, rusty wheel. Merida could only describe it as some kind of over-sized spindle.  
A creaking door and patter of footsteps echoed from overhead. Merida spotted a scrawny kid from the mezanine. He had just emerged from an elevated control room with wide windows. Scurrying down the jangling ladder, he wore an purple helmet, a chest plate, and knee-length trousers.  
"Baymax!" The kid pounced over to the robot who caught him and quickly embraced him.  
"Hiro!" exclaimed Baymax. His voice had never sounded so jolly to Merida. She smiled as Baymax and the kid reunited. So this was Hiro Hamada. He seemed sweet and innocent enough. Perhaps, he would be a trusted ally, after all.  
"Buddy! It took you a while. I see...you brought someone back." Hiro gave a hesitant look to Merida.  
"I did. Her name...is...Merida. She needs...medical attention...food...and cleansing."  
"I'm not that dirty!" insisted Merida, giving her armpit a quick sniff. Hiro flared his eyes at her shrill voice. He shrugged before approaching the girl with clumps of curly red hair.  
"Well...I'm glad Baymax was able to help you...Merida. I'm Hiro. Hiro Hamada. He offered his gloved hand. Up close, Merida could see his spikey strands of black hair, poking from under his helmet.  
"I am Merida of Dunbroch," Merida lowered her head and took Hiro's hand. He examined her quietly. As his eyes flew up and down, Hiro tightened his lips.   
"Is there something wrong?" asked Merida with an awkward frown.  
"I'm just...wondering where Baymax found you." Hiro then faced Baymax. "Did you learn anything from your recon?"  
"My survey sensors detected...a greater distortion in dimensions...near the forests and mountains. I did not find anyone else...except her."  
"That might explain how she's dressed," remarked Hiro.  
"Excuse me?!" snapped Merida. "And I dun suppose we shouldn't be gawking at you and yer missing armor? The color's a bit flashy too." She flapped her hand across Hiro's body.  
"It's a superhero-themed costume. Why are you dressed like a princess from a renaissance fair?"  
"Dressed like a?!" Merida burst into a fiery fit. "I AM A PRINCESS! Merida of Dunbroch."  
Hiro scoffed at her.  
"What the heck is Dun-brock?"   
"What the heck is a re-nee-sunce fair?" spat Merida.  
"Now, now," said Baymax calmly. He stepped in between Hiro and Merida. "Hiro...you must be stressed...from being at the computer. It is fine to take a break. Merida...you are exhausted. Let me take you to our nursing room. Rest and eat. Then we can discuss what you know about the monsters."  
"Wait. You've seen monsters too?" asked Hiro.  
"Yeah! They're dark demons with those buggy-eyes and head-thingies." Merida gestured with her fingers waving over her head.  
"You mean antennas?" Hiro was slightly annoyed by Merida's description and her accent. He sighed and attempted to sound mature. "Look, I'm glad Baymax saved you."  
"Yer friend gave me an apple and flew me 'ere. I saved mee-self but I..." Merida paused. She would have choked if she had truthfully finished her sentence. She shook her head and refreshed her thoughts. "The Heartless took me family and me home. I fought however many I could. But there's a bigger plan out there. They're coming all over the kingdoms through doorways. We've got to find the main door of all doors."  
"Whoa, whoa. What are you talking about? Doors and Heartless. How do you know any of this?" asked Hiro skeptically.  
Merida groaned. She scratched her mangled head of red hair in frustration. She gasped and reached into her satchel. She slammed Jack's tattered book into Hiro's bony arms.  
"That book! It's got pictures and notes on the Heartless. That what those monsters are called. I told ye what I know. Have you got anything useful?"  
"Well loads...but-" Hiro cut off his conversation with Merida and spoke to Baymax, "Did you pick up any weird signals when you found this...princess?"  
"The fluctuations in my readings rose...significantly...where I detected...Merida. They resemble the same...frequencies...from the...portal," reported Baymax.  
"Portal?" asked Merida.  
"Ahhhh. So that's why she looks like she's out of her own time. Be careful next time, Baymax. I don't wanna lose you again, pal."  
"What the devil are ye blabbing about?" yelled Merida.  
"How do I put this?" Hiro hummed, holding the chin of his helmet. "We're from a city called San Fransokyo. One day, we noticed that there were...irregular magnetic fields. Harmless at first...but these monsters came out of nowhere. They attacked people and started infecting them...they turned into monsters too. My friends and I tried to fight them off but they kept coming. We decided to split the team. Four of us made a stronghold, protecting who we could. Baymax and I flew off, trying to find the source. Our only lead were the magnetic fields. We thought we knew where we were going but the world around us started to change. We found this abandoned city and this warehouse. We're hoping to find something from these computers and machines. I sent Baymax to go looking for anything unusual...and then he found you...at the edge of your world. And that's probably how we got here too. Different dimensions. Different worlds. Does that make sense?"  
"It's a whole lot to think about. But it looks like we're on the same side. We need to stop the Heartless." Merida knew it was best to not overthink their story, especially after she bore little doubt towards Jack Skellington's tales of Halloween Town.   
"Sure. Call'em that if you want to. We'll take care of'em if they show up. I'm a robotics genius and Baymax is coded for medical and combat functions." Hiro skimmed through the pages of the tattered book. He rolled his eyes and blew his lips. When he returned the book to Merida, she glared at him. She could clearly tell that he did not take her side of the Heartless matter seriously.  
"I can fight too. With me bow and me sword," affirmed Merida.  
"We appreciate the assistance, Merida," said Baymax, "Healthy...social interaction and... tactical teamwork...will serve us well. Don't you agree, Hiro?"  
"Sure, Baymax. Merida...you can get yourself freshened up." Hiro slipped his hands back into his pockets and walked away. "I'll let you know if I...need anything." He hopped up the steps and climbed the ladder back to the mezzanine.  
"Uggh!" Merida huffed, parting the strands of red hair away from her forehead.  
"My apologies on Hiro's behalf. Please follow me to the nursing room." Baymax led Merida to a closed door, opposite of where Hiro had gone. Merida glared at his face through the dusty window. She shook her head and followed Baymax into a room, furnished with a pristine bed with folded sheets, a rack of bottles and tiny labeled boxes. While Merida rolled onto the bed, Baymax explained that he had re-purposed the room for proper medical care in case Hiro or any other person needed it. She was then guided to a smaller room where she discovered a smooth porcelain bowl attached to a water tank, sitting a few feet away from a spotless white basin. She peered behind the plastic drapes and found a faucet with two knobs. It was her first time ever seeing a toilet and a bath tub with a modern design.  
Baymax explained the functions of the bathing appliances as simple as he could. He also presented her two clean towels and two tiny bottles, one for body soap, and one for hair. Merida quickly figured out how to use the knobs for hot and cold water. She accepted Baymax's offer and handed him her dress to be cleaned while in the bathroom. For Baymax, it was a simple process of spraying airy soap and emitting a warm temperature, both of which were adjusted for the dress's fabric. He cleared the mud stains and laid it out on the bed, along with a tray of vitamins and rations.  
Baymax closed the nursing room behind him and flew over to the mezzanine. He entered the control room where Hiro was groaning at the clutter of monitors and wires.  
"Unbelievable!" exclaimed Hiro.  
"I have assisted Merida with her needs. Do you need any assistance?" asked Baymax.  
"Not really," mumbled Hiro. He brought the keyboard to his lap and entered a series of coded commands. A few lines appeared on the dim monitors. He reached out to unplug a cord and insert it into another opening. He tapped the glassy surface of the monitor and tried to drag the cursor over to a file icon. Abruptly, the screen flashed and screeched static. Hiro slammed his finger on a corner button and yanked out a batch of cords.   
"It is okay to get frustrated," said Baymax kindly.  
"Not right now, it's not!" snapped Hiro. "The system is crashed. Both the hardware and software. I gotta repair it to get access on these files. It's all up to me."  
"It's up to both of us. Hiro. I have a high percentage rating that you will fix this and retrieve what could be data on stopping the Heartless."  
"Don't call them that. You don't know if she's...you know...sane," grumbled Hiro.  
"I believe Merida of Dunbroch is mentally stable. When she spoke of the Heartless, I detected no sign of lying. She is, however, very distraught. Much like you," said Baymax. Hiro disliked the comparison. He went back to agonizing over the wrecked computer equipment. He froze mid-thought and cried out angrily.  
"Hiro. You are my primary patient. Please be open. I want to help you." Baymax gently tapped Hiro on his shoulder as a sign of reassurance. Hiro frowned mildly. He nudged away as he rose to his feet.  
"I'm tired of all these questions. What's been happening...it's not science. Merida...is just another wrench to what I thought was going on. Another big question mark. Everyone back home...is counting on me."  
"Perhaps Merida can help. You only...skimmed the book she gave you," said Baymax, "She did mention a door. Perhaps it's similar...to the portal."  
"You mean the pocket dimension?" Hiro recounted his first mission with his team, Big Hero 6. They had uncovered a revenge plot to destroy a man and his company with a vortex-inducing portal. The journey inside the portal and out was astounding beyond his comprehension. Hiro had tried to move past it until Baymax reported a similar magnetic field of energy after the first attack on San Fransokyo.   
"Perhaps the Heartless...are using their own...portal to travel to...different places. This may have caused...a rift between dimensions, blending into each other," analyzed Baymax.  
"Which explains why Merida is the way she is." Hiro had thought of her as a fairy tale cosplayer. Now he was convinced that she truly came from a medieval Scottish setting.  
"I do believe that given these...recent phenomena...we may find clues in her book. Let's wait until she's finished and speak to her again. She is very sweet. She is a good girl," said Baymax.  
"Buddy. You think everybody is a good boy or girl," chuckled Hiro.  
"Showing signs of...compassion...and...respect can greatly affect a person's behavior," stated Baymax. Hiro smiled and hugged Baymax. He sat back down and took a deep breath. He examined the pieces of hardware, laying in front of him. When Baymax slowly picked up a broken panel piece, Hiro glimpsed at the computer chip, sticking out of it. He snatched it from Baymax who gave no audible response. Hiro rapidly reassembled the chunks of hardware with wires from the chips. He plugged in the ends of cords into what he believed were the correct outlets. After a few clicks, Hiro turned the main computer back on.  
"Woo!" Hiro turned giddy. He traced his finger on the touch pad to move the cursor. He dug into a folder of documents and scrolled down the list. Hiro filtered the contents by data size. One massive program icon rose to the top. Hiro clicked it and opened a surveillance program with multiple recorded videos.  
"I believe Merida would want to see these videos too. I will go check on her." Baymax left the control room and hovered smoothly to the ground floor. By himself, Hiro whistled and lay down. He had finally done it. After hours of scrambling with computer junk, Hiro managed to recover the data that could reveal who was behind the creature attacks. He waved the cursor on the screen over the play button. Hiro hissed with anticipation and bit his tongue. He leaped off the floor to peek at Merida through the window. She spun in her comfortable, clean dress and flipped her wild red hair. By the luminous look on her face, Hiro could tell how refreshed she felt. He quickly frowned, wishing that she and Baymax would hurry up to the control room. He had been so patient, after slaving for so long with the buttons and wires. He believed he deserved a sneak peek. The program worked much like a video player with the basic controls and a track meter. He would play a few seconds of the first clip and rewind it before Baymax and Merida would join him.   
He traced the cursor over to the triangular symbol. It was the icon to play the video. He clicked with a heavy tap of his finger.  
BLING! BLING! BLING! BLING! BLING! BLING! BLING! BLING! BLING! BLING!   
A barrage of bright, blood-red boxes blinded the screen. Hiro's heart pinched.  
The warehouse speakers blasted a ringing alarm. Merida jumped, swishing her long red hair. Baymax turned his attention immediately to Hiro. He scanned him from a distance and detected his fear. The ceiling and corner lights blinked rapidly. Merida raced back into the restroom to retrieve her bow, quiver, and sword. Baymax tried to scan the warehouse for any technological anomalies. His sensors detected a powerful pulse of magnetic energy. It matched the frequency as the readings from his first encounter with the shadowy creatures in San Fransokyo.  
Six puddles of dark purple sap oozed from the ground floor. Hiro darted out of the control room. He watched in disgust as the puddles morphed into two new breeds of the shadowy creatures. Merida aimed an arrow at the three that resembled floating witches with wands and pointed hats. Baymax readied his humongous fists against the other three that wore pale blue armor and and held a thick shield with the face of a devil-dog.  
"Oh...no," said Baymax calmly.   
Hiro felt a wretched lump in his throat. So much for being a brilliant prodigy. So much for having the right ideas. Hammering in his head, Hiro had a single thought: "Hiro, you impatient idiot!"


	11. The Portal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the Disney Kingdom is threatened by massive forces of evil, our heroes will have to band together and protect their worlds from falling into darkness.  
> Featuring the fantasy elements of Kingdom Hearts and the storyline from Super Smash Bros. Brawl's "Subspace Emissary", enjoy a new take on an epic crossover with your favorite Disney characters from the classic films to the latest legends!

Different form. Same monsters.  
These were the four words that Merida repeated to herself. They helped to block out the hissing and grunting from the Heartless. She fired her arrow at the witch-like creature that floated in the middle of its trio. She ran from the other two and slashed her sword at the Shadows.  
Baymax delivered a vigorous punch into the first Heartless, bulky and armored. Its two comrades ran apart and then circled back to Baymax. He was slammed by both of their shields, from the front and back. Bolting in midair, Baymax launched both of his gauntlets as missiles. The enemy shields resisted his attacks without a scratch. Baymax recalled his gauntlets back to his body and zoomed around warehouse space. The two witches flung strings of lightning at him, like fishing wire. Baymax was lightly stunned but swooped past them.   
Back on the ground, Merida screamed like a fearless warrior, combating the swarm of Shadows. It was like an orchestra of stabbing, slashing, swinging, and slamming her sword against any foolish fiend. The witches and the knights moved slowly towards the mezzanine. A single Shadow snuck up the ladder and pounced at Hiro, still frozen in fright.  
"AH!" Hiro winced. Baymax was ready to fly over and pulverize the Shadow. Before he could ignite his thrusters, a speedy arrow beat him to the task.   
The sharp tip of the arrow pierced the wall, leaving the Shadow to wither into darkness and dust. Hiro glanced at Merida, holding her bare bow. She resumed her place in the fray and wiped out the closest Shadow in sight.  
"Get inside the control room," instructed Baymax firmly to Hiro. "I will protect you."   
"O-okay." Hiro almost tripped over the bottom ledge of the door frame. He twisted the lock and sat back to the computer screens and wires. He had to fight the nagging guilt and figure out how to kill the alarm. Hiro did not want to wait and see if it would summon more hordes over time. He slammed his fingers onto the keyboard and tried to reconfigure the coding. It was his only idea to deactivate any security software.  
Baymax positioned himself in front of the control room windows. His primary goal was to keep the Heartless away from Hiro while also protecting Merida. Thankfully, she was competent when it came to fighting single-handedly.   
The three knights tried to bash their shields into the supporting poles of the mezzanine. Baymay blocked them by pummeling and kicking them away. All he could really do was stall their tenacious tactics. Even the winged crimson robot-nurse required outside assistance.  
As the number of Shadows dwindled, Merida studied the floating witch-like Heartless; they preferred to float and cast long-range attacks from a distance. They whipped their wands and cast fireballs at Baymax. Her first arrow had worked on one witch but the others were unaffected. The best Merida could do was shoot near them, which forced them to retreat to a new midair position. Stalling them was not enough. What she needed was a clue on how effectively to destroy the witches and knights before they could touch Hiro.  
"The book," muttered Merida. Not just any book. It was the unintentional parting gift from Jack Skellington. Immediately, she was electrified with a new plan.  
"Over here, ya dirty mutts!" mocked Merida. A single arrow flew past the helmet of the knight. It slugged its shield over its shoulder and went after Merida. She moved much faster and had only planned to distract it. With her fingers pressed to her lips, Merida sharply whistled to call the witches.   
"They can only focus on one of us at a time! Smack'em for me, won't ya?!" requested Merida.   
"Roger," replied Baymax. He dove over to the backsides of the knights and struck their legs. The two witches glided towards Merida and blasted her with lightning and fire.  
PWSHSHSH!  
Baymax fired both of his gauntlets, just after they noticed his presence. Although he succeeded in squishing them to the wall, they still somehow survived. They floated off, leaving Baymax to detect Merida through the elemental smoke. Once clear, Baymax rushed to aid Merida. She panted and gripped her chest. Her bear-shaped pendant shined bright blue through her dress.   
"PHEW! I'm glad that worked." Merida remembered how the enchanted pendant worked. It protected her from harmful magic like curses, jinxes, or anything else that would fall under witchcraft. Since the Heartless appeared and attacked as witches, Merida was certain she would be immune from their attacks. She pulled out Jack's book and frantically flipped the pages. Her eyes hounded for the Heartless that resembled their current foes.   
There! Side by side on opposite pages. Wizards and Defenders. A deadly duo of Heartless that were described as being the perfect protectors. Wizard Heartless had to be slain by surprise while Defender Heartless could only receive damage from behind their impervious shields.  
"Baymax! Yer turn now! Let them go to you. Stand yer ground!" barked Merida.   
Baymax followed her words of wisdom. He brawled with the surrounding Defenders and shoved them against each other. He ducked and used their own shields against the Wizards' spells. Merida ran and plunged her sword into the head of the first Defender. As it faded away, she located the second Defender after Baymax had hurled it across the warehouse to to secure the mezzanine. Before it could raise its shield, Merida circled around and chopped off its arm. With another mighty slash, Merida slew the second Defender for good.   
The two remaining Wizards preyed on Baymax, while he wrestled with the third Defender. Merida followed her gut and aimed immediately for the floating abomination to her right. Her arrow flew fast and pierced its target, totally unaware. It poofed into smithereens. Merida used her last arrow as the others were scattered all over the floor. She pulled the bow string and fired. The last Wizard vanished but not out of defeat. Merida gathered her arrows while waiting for it to reappear.  
BLIP!  
Hiro jumped and turned around. As an eerie twinkle of purple light, the Wizard Heartless had teleported into the control room. It pointed its sparkling wand at Hiro.   
"AHHH!!" yelled Hiro. He looked to the pile of computer junk the ground. Instinct and fear took over. Hiro snatched a clump of loose wires and tossed it towards the Wizard. It flinched and reared back. At a distance, the Wizard waved its wand, igniting a ball of fire.  
KRRKKK!   
Baymax burst through the glass windows. Hiro ducked. Baymax withstood the blazing blast and strangled the Wizard. He flung it backwards, plummeting towards the Defender.   
KRSSSSSH!  
"Didn't see that coming, did ye?!" snickered Merida. Her sword had skewered the nape of the Defender and the chest of the Wizard. When she pulled back her sword, both Heartless collapsed and crumbled into darkness. Merida huffed with a sweaty smile on her face.  
Baymax still stood very aggressively around Hiro, whose eyes locked back to the main monitor. He recognized the security program, seconds away from rebooting itself. He rushed to the keyboard and altered the coded commands. He had to delete the right amount of data without causing the system to crash again.  
The pop-up windows were deactivated. The lights turned yellow like normal. The alarm was killed. The moment of silence was all Hiro wanted to regain his sanity.  
"WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED?!" Merida hustled up the steps and climbed up to the mezzanine. She ripped the door off its feeble hinges and glared at Hiro. "What did you do?"  
"Nothing...I mean...hehe...great job with those...Heart-losers?" Hiro wished his genius mind could think of a clever joke to amuse Merida. Her intense eyes burned as bright as her fiery red hair.  
"Heart-LESS! I thought ye were supposed to be smart."  
"I am! I just...look! I fixed the computer. I found some videos," said Hiro.  
"Whatever a computer or a video is, it better be worth saving yer wee backside," scoffed Merida.  
"Just...ugh! Come down and watch this," Hiro moved the cursor back to the play button of the first video. He waited for Merida and Baymax to watch beside him.  
It played first as a tiny window but Hiro maximized it to full-screen. After the first few seconds of hazy static, the image turned clear. It displayed the warehouse floorspace where the camera was angled from the high mezzanine.   
Merida was fascinated by the fully functioning machine with its pieces in place. It was shaped more like a threading spindle of steel than it did in shambles. Its spinning wheel buzzed and churned rapidly. Its face glowed as a circle of bright electric-green light. Small shadowy figures marched across the warehouse floor and disappeared past the camera's view.  
"The doorway is not strong here," said a cold, deep voice from the video.   
Doorway! The word alarmed Merida. She nudged her shoulder against Hiro to make sure she could carefully hear what else came next.  
"Hey!" whined Hiro.  
"Shush!" Merida refused eye contact. Her clump of red hair brushed against Hiro's face.   
When the buzzing wheel lost its power and turned dark, someone came into the camera's view. Tall and thin. He had a flowing black cape that draped behind him and some kind of bird perched on his shoulder. As Merida squinted her eyes, his sleeves appeared dark red. Who was this man?  
"You think we should fly ourselves out of here, Jafar? Seems like a lot of work to haul all this stuff somewhere else, even with magic," squawked the bird.  
A talking parrot? Hiro twisted his lips in disbelief. Baymax gave no response. As he stood over Hiro and Merida, he remained silent, save for the occasional sound of his robotic blinking.  
"Oh Iago. That's why I've asked for him." The man who was addressed as Jafar gave a light cackle and turned his head. "So good of you to make the trip."  
Thump-Thump!  
"Heeeeey! It's about time I was invited to this party!" boasted a booming voice.  
"Oogie," growled Merida, clenching her fingernails tight into her palm. Hiro cautiously looked away, not wanting to cross eyes with someone as furious as snarling dog, baring its teeth.  
Waddling to the center of the camera, a familiar, fat figure slapped its arms on his burlap body.  
"Mr. Boogie," greeted Jafar, "As you-"  
"Please Snake-Eyes! We're all pals now. Handsome devils! Though I'd place my bets on who's better looking. Ha-ha! You can just call me Oogie."  
"Yeeeees," said Jafar, as slowly and smoothly as a patient predator, "Oogie...as you are aware, our plan is to open several doorways across the worlds. This one has run its course. There's nothing left to fuel it."  
"What do ya feed it? Worm's Wart Soup? I can whip up something mighty tasty and fizzy for this bad boy!"  
"The doorways thrive off the energy that comes from hearts that cherish their homes. Capturing their leaders can yield greater power, allowing the doorways to call upon more sinister Heartless."  
"Huh! Like a broken slot machine, this city looks to be out of service. Gonna relocate? I hope you have enough for a security deposit," Oogie coughed as he gave a loud, throaty laugh.  
"Relocating was the plan but we've decided to go one extra step," began Jafar, "Which is why you were recommended. I've been told you've got quite the mind for these machines. Perhaps you can...improve them?"  
Oogie rubbed his burlap hands and giggled wickedly.  
"Improve?! I'll turn this little shamble of bolts and nuts and turn it into a solid fortress. Ten times bigger than this cracker-jack wheel. It'll make it look real pretty too. Heck! I'll throw in a free makeover for your wardrobe, Snake-Eyes."  
Jafar paused. Merida guessed he cast the same annoyed glare as she did.   
"Charmed," said Jafar. He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a scroll, wrapped tightly under a seal. "Take this. It's a map that will guide you to where you are to build the new machine. It also gives specific instructions on creating a doorway. Do that and then add whatever monstrosities you desire. Make sure that no one intruder can get in or out. Are we clear?"  
"Crystal," Oogie could hardly hold this enthusiam.  
"Take whatever parts you want from this machine. But before you leave, destroy it. We don't want any curious rats to dig up a single clue on what we're doing. That includes the room up there."  
Both Jafar and Oogie turned to the mezzanine camera. Both Merida and Hiro flinched. Their hearts leaped as if they were actually discovered by the scheming villains.  
"Gotcha. Lemme take a lookie-lookie and see what can work for Mr. Oogie Boogie." Oogie approached the machine sitting on the right side of the camera's view while Jafar crossed over to the left side of the warehouse.   
"Saaaay, Snake-Eyes. Before you head off, why don't you tell me what you're working on?" asked Oogie.  
"I'm off to collect a special item. It's called the global core. Once it falls into our hands, we will be much closer to opening the door of all doors."  
"Door of all doors? What the heck are you talking about?" asked Oogie.  
This time, it was Jafar's turn to laugh maniacally. His sinister cackle filled the warehouse and shook the computer speakers.  
"Oh you'll see. I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise." The scarlet glow from Jafar's side of the camera turned low. It seemed as if he finally made his exit.   
"Huh! I'll show him a surprise! When he stops by my new pad, I'll scare the feathers off his bird. Ha-HA!" Oogie resumed his inspection of the machine. Asides from grumbling to himself, there appeared nothing more from the video. It still had a few minutes remaining on the video track.  
Hiro sighed and leaned back.   
"Guess you were right, Merida. Heartless. Doorways. It's all real."  
"Took you long enough, Hiro. Now we know there are two scoundrels responsible for these Heartless attacks. Jafar and Oogie Boogie."  
"Merida," spoke Baymax suddenly, "You showed great signs of...anger when Oogie Boogie appeared in the video. Do you know that man?"  
"He's not a man. He's an oversized potato sack! He-" Merida froze. She then quickly coughed out the guilt in her throat. "He captured a friend of mine, the one who gave me the book."   
Merida padded her satchel with a touch of grief. The book had more than just information on the Heartless. It was the sentiment that clenched her heart. A true token of Jack Skellington, the one who had re-ignited hope in her journey. Merida hesitated to bring it out again. She exhaled and reached into her satchel.  
Hiro accepted the book but this time with an open mind. He started on the first page and tapped his helmet. What Merida did not know was that Hiro used his transparent visor to take high-definition pictures of each page that he read. It was nothing like a technical manual; he had to take his time process all of the strange lore behind the Heartless that varied in sizes, abilities, and attack patterns.   
The rattling of the mezzanine ladder echoed into everyone's ears. At first, Merida and Hiro were startled and turned to the open doorway. Their eyes detected something heavy that shook the camera's feed. They immediately remembered that the video was not yet finished.  
"Hmph! Maybe this can help me figure out where I gotta go," said Oogie Boogie. His voice was much louder, crackling with static. Hiro heard keyboard tapping and computer beeping.  
"Ugh, why do these buttons have to be so teeny-tiny? Here we go! Let's see...I gotta make a left...then another left...there!" Oogie giggled and hissed, as if feeling his appetite. "I get my own mountain?! Jackpot, baby! I knew I picked the right side! Mmm...so many tunnels too! Perfect for my creepy crawlies! Now then....what's this? Security Alarm? Sounds fun! Let's trap anyone who comes lurking up this side of town!"  
Click-click!  
The video ended abruptly.  
"So that would explain why this machine summoned the Heartless when you pushed the wrong buttons," said Merida with a rosy smirk.  
"Hey! I was trying to get data," snapped Hiro.  
"Data? What's that supposed to be?" asked Merida.  
Hiro groaned but Baymax intervened politely.  
"Data is another collective term for...technical and....empirical information. In this instance...we might find some history in the search files. Allow me." Baymax reached over Hiro's shoulder and tapped the top of the computer frame. A series of digital beeping jingled around Baymax's head. It lasted for only a few seconds.  
"Well? What'd you get?" asked Hiro.  
"Oogie's last entry. I've obtained the...coordinates and a...geographic layout of a new location."  
"Oh! Like a map?" asked Merida cheerfully.  
"Oh so that you understand?" asked Hiro with a teasing look in his eyes.  
"I'm a fast learner when it comes to yer funny words and fancy tools," answered Merida before turning to Baymax. "Do ya know how long it will take for us to get to his fortress?"  
"It will take...four to...five hours to reach our new end destination."  
"Wait a sec. Merida, he's with me. I'll tell him what to do."  
"What else did ya have in mind, Hiro? Don't ya remember what Jafar said? He gave Oogie the plans to make his own doorways. We've got to stop'em before more Heartless come to attack more people."  
"It would be wise to follow the trail, Hiro," said Baymax in support, "We could also extract more...data...on how the portals are created."  
"Which could help us learn how to close them," realized Hiro, out loud.  
"And ya thought I was the slow one, eh?" Merida crossed her arms and raised a cocky eyebrow. Hiro nervously sighed as they both stood up at the same time.  
"About that, Merida. I just...I do wanna say...you know," Hiro grasped his arm and looked away with wandering eyes.  
"It's all right. I accept yer apology for being a wee, stubborn brat. And...yer welcome." Merida bobbed her wild head of red hair and winked. With a jolt of excitement, Merida took back the book and bounded out of the control room.  
"Okaaay." Hiro rubbed the back of his neck.  
"I'm glad I found her," said Baymax. "You are starting to really like her."  
"What? No! No, it's not like that!" panicked Hiro.  
"I was only referring to her as a companion and partner. But you are at the age...of showing physical attraction...towards other teenagers. Such increase in hormones can develop into...infatuation."  
"Baymax!"  
"What's holding yer bums? Let's gooo!" hollered Merida from the ground floor. Hiro hopped through the broken windows and spotted Merida, leaning comfortably on the warehouse door. Baymax carried Hiro's lanky teenage body and descended towards their newest ally.  
"I will only take a moment to retrieve some supplies for our journey," Baymax excused himself with a light nod and went to the nursing room.  
"Ya got a sweet friend, ya know?" said Merida sweetly. She gestured to the bulky robot nurse, closing the door behind him.  
"Yeah. He's...he's pretty great," replied Hiro. He remembered how he almost lost Baymax in another dimension, over a year ago. If it was not for saving his computer chip, Hiro would have lost his robotic companion completely. He noticed how Merida looked away with a sickly frown. "About your friend, Jack. I'm really sorry about what happened to him. We'll try to get him back from Oogie. I promise."  
Merida lifted her chin to acknowledge Hiro's kind words.  
"After I lost me home to the Heartless...I was on me own fer so long. Then Jack showed up. He lost his home too. As charming as he was, I could tell he had the same pains as I. Then he was taken and I was on me own again until Baymax found me. Hiro, I don't want this to keep repeating with the everyone I meet. I want this all to stop."  
"Me too," Hiro thought back to the chaos that ensued when the waves of Heartless that attacked San Fransokyo on that terrible night. He remembered the soot and sweat on the faces of his friends and aunt. Regardless, their eyes had been full of hope when they had to bid farewell to him and Baymax.   
"But if Jack were still in this fight, he wouldn't want to give up. Nor me family," said Merida with a determined nod.  
"Yeah, I hear ya. I've got people I gotta get back to," said Hiro. Baymax then appeared, sealing panels of his armor which contained the provisions from the nursing room. He opened the wide warehouse doors, illuminating the floor with the afternoon sun. Baymax crouched, allowing Hiro and Merida to step onto his back. Hiro leaned onto Baymax's left shoulder while Merida helped herself to the right. With the rocket boosters blazing under Baymax's feet, they rose far up above the abandoned city buildings. Baymax's head beeped, sending a map-like grid to Hiro's visor. Hiro could then see that they were following a holographic trail, based upon Oogie's coordinates from the control room. He zoomed in with a telescopic view of the mountain. After studying what he could, Hiro looked over to Merida who had closed her eyes.  
By letting the wind blow her face and pass through her hair, Merida could escape her worries. She thought back to the day when she climbed the cliffs of Fire Falls. The sweet breeze and fresh spray from the gushing waters filled her with joy. She wanted to share that feeling with her brothers, father, and mother after everything went back to normal.  
When the sun hid behind the clouds, Merida glanced at Baymax and Hiro. She smiled gratefully and looked onward.   
Different people. Same goal.


End file.
